Song of the Whale Diary: 7th - 16th May

Wednesday 7th May - Sunday 11th May
Monday 12th May- Thursday 15th May
Friday 16th May

Wednesday 7th May - Sunday 11th May
Written by Niklas
We leave Plymouth, England on the 7 of May for El Hierro to begin our survey season around the Atlantic Islands of the Canaries, the Azores and Madeira. On board are Richard, Magnus, Matt, Olly, Niklas, Tristan and Dan. Leaving the channel behind us we reached the spirit of the Biscay waters. With the hydrophones out again we can hear the distant calls of sperm whales and also see the fin whales blowing against the blue sky. With the Swedish chef onboard a cooking competition is also taking place! From India to Orkney we travel between meals accompanied by playful dolphins riding our bow wave. The nights are magical with fluorescent waters and speeding dolphins, like rockets in the dark, showing us the way south. Late on Friday we enjoy the setting sun against the Spanish rocky coast. Early next morning Richard and Olly leave us just outside of Vigo in Spain. Sunday afternoon we leave the European shore behind us and head 208 degrees by sail, again accompanied by dolphins. Only another 670 nautical miles to go!

Monday 12th May- Thursday 15th May
Written by Daniel
With calming seas, rising sea temperatures and warming breezes it becomes plain sailing for the now crew of 5. Watches are a little longer and so memories of pirate encounters and stories from more challenging sails are re-lived. The night traffic is few and far between. Sailing solo the hydrophones can have the peace of the natural ocean sounds. Part of the surveying undertaken onboard measures the increasing influence of man on our seas as well as the passing sea-life. Our skipper, being highly in tune with our cetacean friends (feeling their presence in his bones)…and also hearing a few whale songs through the hydrophone monitors, decides to ease the speed and change tack. With all the crew on lookout, 3 sperm whales are spotted allowing us to have a friendly encounter and photo shoot. With the sea now reaching 18+ degrees we the cool off and freshen up with a mid-Atlantic swim. Other crew members are entertained by the diving show from the 6 metre observation tower. Dolphins continue to join us in our journey with visits day and night. Unfortunately for some small squid nature takes its course as the dolphins chase them around the boat. Some try leaping for their lives and end up on the foredeck! The changing climes call for a change in cuisine, once again the Swedish chef (Niklas) provides, with light salads and home-made dressings and even some pear sorbet!!

Friday 16th May
Written by Daniel
The tell-tale signs of land are written in the clouds and Tenerife finally shows it’s face on the horizon. We are welcomed to the Canary Islands by some curious pilot whales and shortly after by some energetic bottlenose dolphins. The final few minutes are recorded on the hydrophones and then they are brought in and the boat is made ready for port. After refuelling we moor in the Atlantico Marina, Santa Cruz. There is a little confusion as to where we were mooring initially but thanks to a persuasive skipper and our onboard translator the girls in the office upgrade us. The afternoon is spent cleaning the vessel top to bottom, inside and out and the crew has well earned showers on tierra firma followed by some late evening tapas in the picturesque city of Santa Cruz. Having not seen land for a week or so a few of the crew go off to explore the island in true tourist style while others stay back and made sure the Song of the Whale is ready to go when the newcomers arrive.