APRIL Moodiness
by firmm Team
Text: Katharina Heyer, Photos: firmm
After the case with Tanger Trafic had been clarified, we started our first tours far more relaxed. With the help of our marine biologist Jörn, our captain Diego in the meantime maintains trouble free radio communication with Tanger Trafic. He even easily manages the daily number of passengers in English.
Despite extreme April weather with many rain showers, strong winds and unpredictable and fast changing conditions, we experienced some unforgettable sightings in the short periods during which the weather brightened up.
As was the case, for example, on the 15th of April : Thanks to very good weather conditions, the right tides and the right timing, we were able to find a big group of pilot whales: 13 animals including 7 young ones. Full of curiosity, they came close to our boat, playing at the side of the boat. We even had the impression they wanted to greet us. They lined up, turned and observed the passengers on board of the firmm Spirit.
Pilot whales beside the ship
maresTV
On April 24th a film crew from maresTV announced their visit to shoot a documentary on behalf of the NDR about the Costa de la Luz, the “ coast of light “. They wanted to observe and experience our activities (will be broadcasted ca. September 2011). The first trip was wonderful. We encountered many pilot whales and playing bottlenose dolphins. The film crew planned on the second trip to sail parallel to our boat. For this purpose they chartered the ship “ Rajorca “ from the diving centre Scorpora. Because our boat, the firmm Spirit, was much faster, we were further out, while the Rajorca followed us slowly. And it was exactly for this reason that 2 fin whales surfaced very close to their boat…. What could be better for a film crew? Of course we turned our boat around immediately, and together we were able to watch the slowly and peacefully moving fin whales for a long time.
ARTE TV
The next day we had a four-person film crew from ARTE on board, to film the documentary ”ARTE-Entdeckung” (will be broadcasted ca. march 2012). The pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins supplied the film crew with astonishing film material, even CURRO, our injured pilot whale showed up. In addition to that 2 fin whales appeared on our way back, swimming next to each other. So we were more than happy.
You can always rely on the whales. They are the perfect staff members!