Southern Survey and Singing Whales

Our new skipper Jose joined us today to make our first trip down south to Lacacao. With the weather conditions up to the same old tricks(2-3 metre swells and 20 knot winds) we set off due south-west straight into Sal Rei Bay. We immediately got onto a pod of three animals, a mother, calf and one very large escort. On our first approach we gained a biopsy of the escort who was always in between us and the mother calf pair. With a quick reload we attempted to biopsy the mother but they had set off towards the north into a choppy swell. We gave up chase as surfacings were erratic and the animals were moving at a fair speed.  After getting dorsal images of the all three animals  we headed south to calmer waters.

Biopsy dart striking escort 

 There were no sighting from our search down south although after dipping the hydrophone in flat water we picked up 40 minutes of whale song. Our mooring was then located by Pedrins free diving skills, so we tied our boat and headed ashore on what was the most exiting beaching of a boat Ive ever experienced. The local dive club gave us a lift onto the shore at about 35kph with a ‘handbrake turn’ into the sand for good measure. The weathers looking good for the next few days so hopefully we’ll get some good surveying to the south the island.

                                                 Conor listing to a singing male Humpback

Species List: Flying fish, Needle fish (8), Brown boobie, White-faced Storm Petrel,  Cape Verde Shearwater (6), Hoopoe Lark, Tropic Bird, Osprey.