Dolphins and Whales around São Jorge, Faial and Pico

Make a tour at sea and discover dolphins and whales!

The ocean around São Jorge is spectacular. The clear blue water and the views on the green mountains of the islands are unique. From São Jorge you can make a three hour trip with Sea Explorers Azores in Velas) or on Pico with Espaço Talassa in Lajes. The best place to book such a tour is in the village of Lajes.
We sail our boat around the islands of São Jorge, Faial, or Pico about 10 to 12 times a year. Unfortunately, the Azorean government only allows us to go out on the water with family and friends, not with guests renting our house. We only sail when the sun is shining and the sea is calm. That’s when you see the most.

Dolphins

Often we see big groups of dolphins, sometimes of more than hundred animals. Mostly we see common dolphins, spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. Many dolphins are curious and come very close to the boat. If we keep the boat on a certain speed, they run from far to join us. You can have good eye contact with them when they do this. Yearly on some tours we meet striped dolphins, Risso’s dolphins and pilot whales.

Sperm whales

Especially in August and September we regularly see spermwhales. In some cases we saw sperm whales jump out of the water. Often we see groups of spermwhales with young animals. They were very relaxed and were not disturbed by us.

In some boattrips we met killer whales, false killer whales, northern bottlenose whales and humpback whales. Almost every year in April, May and June we see fin whales (sei whale, minke whale, blue whale, fin whale). Apart from whales and dolphins we regularly saw sea-turtles, white sharks, hammerhead sharks, tuna fish, flying fish, etc.

Sperm whale

Curious sperm whales

With clear weather and a flat ocean you can also see dolphins and whales from the coasts of the island. On the terrace of our holiday house we saw already many animals.

Besides whales and dolphins, we regularly see loggerhead turtles, white sharks, hammerhead sharks, tuna and other large fish and flying fish.