Dynamic & Spectacle

by firmm Team

Text: Rea Schütz, photos: firmm

Here we go, on a 3-hour-trip and who knows, we might be lucky and see the Orcas. We drive directly towards the Atlantic Ocean to find the fishing boats; there are also really small ones between them swaying a lot in the waves. We’re able to observe how a sport fisher heaves a three meter tall tuna out of the water. Surrounded by swaying fishing boats, we continue our journey with the hope to see the Orcas. The sea is calmer now, and some of the visitors are getting a bit sleepy, leisurely we drive on.

Suddenly, as at the push of a button, they’re shooting out of the water, they are “galloping” through the waves, they leave the impression that the water is boiling, and so many animals are there, unbelievably around 1000 (!) Striped Dolphins in different groups. At first we see them on the right side of our boat at some distance, heading directly in our direction. They’re hunting and dashing through the water.

Even the doziest guests are awake in an instant and everyone is really captivated by this spectacle. Then we see another group at the stern and one on the left side of our boat. We are surrounded by hunting dolphins: a dynamic and speed that is just WOW! We can hardly believe to see such a big group at once, seeing them so numerously is really fantastic.

Hundreds of Striped Dolphins Elegant Sperm Whale 

Shortly after the Striped Dolphins had passed us a Sperm Whale was spotted. We watched him for a while breathing until he dived down in a very elegant way.

The guest are impressed and only a short moment later Bottlenose Dolphins appeared, which accompanied our boat in close proximity, spy hopping (stretching their head out of the water), tail slapping (they’re hitting their fluke repeatedly on the water), rolling and jumping, first on one side of our boat, than on the other. What a pleasure to observe.

Bottlenose Dolphins spyhopping and tailslapping 

Now it’s time to say goodbye to this friendly creatures and go back to the port. Long after the Bottlenose Dolphins can be spotted at the stern of our boat. So we return back to Tarifa without seeing Orcas, but instead abundantly rewarded with a lot of dynamic activity and spectacle of the Striped Dolphins, the majesty of a Sperm Whale and the joy of the Bottlenose Dolphins! Thank you!

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