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EN
EN
Today
12.00º < 16.00º
12.00º < 16.00º
Friday
12.00º < 15.00º
12.00º < 15.00º
Saturday
13.00º < 16.00º
13.00º < 16.00º
Sunday
15.00º < 17.00º
15.00º < 17.00º
Monday
15.00º < 18.00º
15.00º < 18.00º
It is with the knowledge of former whalers that today Aqua Açores presents the cetaceans in the seas of the Azores
Services
Whale and Dolphin Watching
The Azores are in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, where it is possible to observe about 27 different species of cetaceans. Come and live close up this experience with a professional team of skippers, biologists and “Vigia”, who will guide you on this journey to meet these fascinating animals.
Low season (15/03 - 30/04 e 01/10 - 31/10)
RIB
Per person – 50,00 euros
Group ≥ 4 person – 40,00 euros
Cabin boat
Per person – 55,00 euros
Group ≥ 4 person – 45,00 euros
Medium season (01/05 - 30/06 e 01/09 - 30/09)
RIB
Per person – 55,00 euros
Group ≥ 4 person – 45,00 euros
Cabin boat
Per person – 65,00 euros
Group ≥ 4 person – 55,00 euros
High season (01/07 - 31/08)
RIB
Per person – 65,00 euros
Group ≥ 4 person – 55,00 euros
Cabin boat
Per person – 75,00 euros
Group ≥ 4 person – 65,00 euros
Includes: briefing and debriefing, whales, dolphins, sea birds, turtles and fish watching and a tour along the south coast of the island of Pico.
Do not dismiss: warm and comfortable clothing, hat, sunscreen and sunglasses with UV protection. Still, the binoculars to observe the animals the camera or camcorder.
Note: Aqua Açores will not be held responsible for any damage or loss of personal belongings or equipment. The company recommends the passengers to properly condition during the voyage on sea. Note: The whale and dolphin season starts mid-April and goes until the end of October. Aqua Açores alerts to the possibility of delaying trips, since this activity depends on the weather conditions. Therefore it is advisable to book your trip for several days and in between enjoy the island for a few days.
Inwater dolphin encounters
Aqua Açores gives you the opportunity to experience an unforgettable encounter. Fulfil your dreams and swim with the dolphins in their natural habitat. Swimming with dolphins is allowed in the Azores with only 5 species: bottlenose dolphins, Risso’s dolphin, and common dolphins, spotted and striped.
Low season (15/03 - 30/04 e 01/10 - 31/10)
RIB
Per person – 65,00 euros
Cabin boat
Per person – 75,00 euros
Medium season (01/05 - 30/06 e 01/09 - 30/09)
RIB
Per person – 70,00 euros
Cabin boat
Per person – 80,00 euros
High season (01/07 - 31/08)
RIB
Per person – 75,00 euros
Cabin boat
Per person – 85,00 euros
Includes: briefing and debriefing, swimming with dolphins, whales, dolphins, sea birds, turtles and fish watching and tour along the south coast of the island of Pico.
Do not dismiss: warm and comfortable clothing, hat, bathing suit and towel, sunscreen and sunglasses with UV protection. Still, the binoculars to observe the animals the camera or camcorder.
Aqua Açores recommendations: use mask, tube and fins to swim, all equipment available for rent at Aqua Açores (the company has shorty diving suits for rent).
Note: You have to know how to swim and have some previous experience in snorkeling. Only two persons at the time are allowed in the water, in the presence of dolphins. It is up to the skipper to decide whether all the conditions are met for swimming.
Note: Aqua Açores will not be held responsible for any damage or loss of personal belongings or equipment. The company recommends the passengers to properly condition during the voyage on sea.
Note: The whale and dolphin season starts mid-April and goes until the end of October. Aqua Açores alerts to the possibility of delaying trips, since this activity depends on the weather conditions. Therefore it is advisable to book your trip for several days and in between enjoy the island for a few days.
Boat Rental
3 hours tour, circuit and schedule by client request (South coast of Pico Island)
Aqua Açores has at your disposal a boat with crew to rent. Would you like to spend 3 hours in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and design the road whole after your personal taste? Then come aboard!
Low season (15/03 - 30/04 e 01/10 - 31/10)
RIB – 370,00 euros
Cabin boat – 600,00 euros
Medium season (01/05 - 30/06 e 01/09 - 30/09)
RIB – 490,00 euros
Cabin boat – 700,00 euros
High season (01/07 - 31/08)
RIB – 560,00 euros
Cabin boat – 800,00 euros
Includes: briefing and debriefing, whale watching, swimming with dolphins, tour along the south coast of the island of Pico and the possibility to swim in the Azorean.
Do not dismiss: warm and comfortable clothing, hat, bathing suit and towel, sunscreen and sunglasses with UV protection. Still, binoculars to observe the animals, camera or camcorder.
Aqua Açores recommendations: use mask, tube and fins to swim, all equipment available for rent at Aqua Açores (the company has shorty diving suits for rent).
Note: You have to know how to swim and have some previous experience in snorkeling. Only two persons at the time are allowed in the water, in the presence of dolphins. It is up to the skipper to decide whether all the conditions are met for swimming.
Note: Aqua Açores will not be held responsible for any damage or loss of personal belongings or equipment. The company recommends the passengers to properly condition during the voyage on sea.
Note: The whale and dolphin season starts mid-April and goes until the end of October. Aqua Açores alerts to the possibility of delaying trips, since this activity depends on the weather conditions. Therefore it is advisable to book your trip for several days and in between enjoy the island for a few days.
Day in Paradise
6 hours tour, circuit and schedule by client request (South coast of Pico Island)
A day full of emotions, where you can observe everything what nature has to offer. This activity is perfect for those, who would like to spend a calm and exclusive day with their friends and/or family in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Low season (15/03 - 30/04 e 01/10 - 31/10)
Cabin boat – 1000,00 euros
Medium season (01/05 - 30/06 e 01/09 - 30/09)
Cabin boat – 1100,00 euros
High season (01/07 - 31/08)
Cabin boat – 1200,00 euros
Includes: briefing and debriefing, whale watching, swimming with dolphins, tour along the south coast of the island of Pico and the possibility to swim in the Azorean.
Do not dismiss: warm and comfortable clothing, hat, bathing suit and towel, sunscreen and sunglasses with UV protection. Still, binoculars to observe the animals, camera or camcorder.
Aqua Açores recommendations: use mask, tube and fins to swim, all equipment available for rent at Aqua Açores (the company has shorty diving suits for rental).
Note: You have to know how to swim and have some previous experience in snorkeling. Only two persons at the time are allowed in the water, in the presence of dolphins. It is up to the skipper to decide whether all the conditions are met for swimming.
Note: Aqua Açores will not be held responsible for any damage or loss of personal belongings or equipment. The company recommends the passengers to properly condition during the voyage on sea.
Note: The whale and dolphin season starts mid-April and goes until the end of October. Aqua Açores alerts to the possibility of delaying trips, since this activity depends on the weather conditions. Therefore it is advisable to book your trip for several days and in between enjoy the island for a few days.
“The waters around the nine islands of the Azores are great places to see 20 or more species of dolphins and whales.”
Victoria Homewood, in Sunday Telegraph,
“Whale watching: 10 of the best”
The Azores have been considered, by the Sunday Telegraph, the second best spot for Whale Watching.
“Whale watching: 10 of the best”
The Azores have been considered, by the Sunday Telegraph, the second best spot for Whale Watching.
Our Boats
Moby Dick
It is equipped to offer the guests maximum comfort and safety.
Bathroom facilities are offered on board, two bedrooms, a large living room and a dry place for personal belongings.
Out of all the Aqua Açores boats, Moby Dick is the most stable and comfortable one, offering you the best conditions inside and out, and also benefits from a walk-around and a fly bridge, where you can enjoy the wide and wonderful view, and a swim platform.
Suitable for up to 12 guests, excluding crew.
Little Boy
This RIB is suitable for up to 16 guests, excluding crew.
Little Boy is perfect for those who seek a fast, open boat experience.
It has as well excellent fendering, which makes RIBs almost unsinkable and suitable for use in all sorts of conditions. RIBs are some of the most versatile boats available and are used as rescue boats and by the military.
Little Boy is ideal for swimming with dolphins.
Oceanus
This zodiac has the capacity for 30 persons, excluding the crew.
Oceanus is ideal for groups, of friends or families that look for fun and adventure.
It is the first RIB in the Azores with sanitary installations.
Zodiacs are very safe and almost unsinkable because of their excellent fendering in the sea, and therefore very suitable for use in all sorts of weather conditions.
They are some of the most versatile vessels available and are used as rescue boats and by/in the military. Oceanus is intended to be for bigger groups, and therefore not suitable for swimming with dolphins.
Amadeus
Amadeus is the ideal choice for smaller groups of up to 6 guests excluding crew, for Sea Tours activity. The cabin has a dry storage area for personal belongings.
Amadeus ensures you an exhilarating and unforgettable voyage.
Species
Spermwhale
Short-finned Pilot Whale
Risso’s Dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin
Striped Dolphin
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
Common Dolphin
Short-finned Pilot Whale
Risso’s Dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin
Striped Dolphin
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
Common Dolphin
In the Azorean sea it’s possible to observe 27 species of whales and dolphins of the over 80 officially known in the world. Aqua Açores classifies the sightings of the cetaceans, in the south coast of the island of Pico, in three categories: frequent sightings, less frequent sightings and rare sightings. Know more
There are over 80 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises (collectively known as “cetaceans”) found throughout the world.Of these, twelve belong to the group of the Mysticeti; they do not have teeth and are commonly known as the baleen whales. Their group contains all the large whales, except for the sperm whale which is a toothed whale. Instead of teeth they have long flexible plates of keratin (same material of which are made our nails and hair), set in two rows on the upper jaw, those are used to filter the little crustaceans and fishes, which are the staple food of these whales. Mysticeti have two blowholes (external nostrils), throat grooves and females are generally larger than males.
All the others belong to the group of the Odontoceti, the toothed whales. Except for the sperm whale, all are medium sized to small. This group feed mainly of fish and squid. The teeth of an Odontoceti can be of all shapes and sizes, but not all are used for feeding. All the Odontoceti have a single blowhole and males are usually larger than females.
The impact of commercial whaling resulted in the fact that many of the large whales are now endangered or vulnerable. Many of the species never recovered after decades of intense hunting. Pollution and climatic changes are another menace for these animals.
Last Sightings
Find Us
It was in Lajes (Azores) that the last whale was caught in 1987.
Whaling (generic name for the whale fishery) was one of the main income of the Azorean people, since half of the eighteenth century until the mid-nineteenth century. This was done in a traditional way and with sailing boats.
Whalers (sperm whale fishermen) implemented a hunting system that included sea surveillance. In towers, built in high places and with good visibility, the lookouts (men overseeing the sea), with powerful binoculars, would search for the whales and inform the whalers of their location.
The whaling industry came to its end and instead the whale watching was born.
Today, cetaceans are a protected species in the Azores.
The use of a lookout is a unique technique in the world, which makes the Azores one of the ten best places in the world for whale watching.
This sea surveillance system, on land, was kept to ensure, in every whale watching trip, the possibility of spotting whales and dolphins.
Between the months of April and September we sight about 20 different species. It is sometimes possible to observe about six to eight different species of whales and dolphins in one day.
Whaling (generic name for the whale fishery) was one of the main income of the Azorean people, since half of the eighteenth century until the mid-nineteenth century. This was done in a traditional way and with sailing boats.
Whalers (sperm whale fishermen) implemented a hunting system that included sea surveillance. In towers, built in high places and with good visibility, the lookouts (men overseeing the sea), with powerful binoculars, would search for the whales and inform the whalers of their location.
The whaling industry came to its end and instead the whale watching was born.
Today, cetaceans are a protected species in the Azores.
The use of a lookout is a unique technique in the world, which makes the Azores one of the ten best places in the world for whale watching.
This sea surveillance system, on land, was kept to ensure, in every whale watching trip, the possibility of spotting whales and dolphins.
Between the months of April and September we sight about 20 different species. It is sometimes possible to observe about six to eight different species of whales and dolphins in one day.
Rules of Conduct
Cetaceans watching
Recommended rules for whale and dolphin watching at sea (recreational vessels)YOU SHOULD
- move parallel with whales and always slightly to one side of the animal’s rear;
- pay attention to other animals that weren’t previously observed;
- slow down speed at 500m to at least 10 knots;
- slow down speed at 400m to at least 4 knots;
- do not approach whales or dolphins within less than 50m. Let them get near to you.
YOU MUST NOT (Never)
- approach Whales or Dolphins head-on or directly from behind;
- make loud, disturbing noises in the presence of animals which may disturb or attract them;
- make sudden changes in direction which could frighten the animals;
- split up pods of Whales or dolphins nor isolate the calf from its mother;
- pursuit animals, which repeatedly avoid the vessel or show signs of distress.
Swimming with dolphins
Rules for swimming with dolphins in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.- In the Azores, it is allowed to swim with five species: Bottlenose dolphin, Common dolphin, Spotted dolphin, Risso’s dolphin and the Striped dolphin;
- Only two persons, at the time, are allowed to be in the water, and for periods of 15 minutes;
- It is strictly forbidden to touch the animals;
- On each vessel only 10 persons maximum are allowed;
- The passengers should know how to swim and have some experience in the use of mask and tube;
- Children, with less than 12 years, should be accompanied by one of their parents or legal guardian;
- The skipper is the only one who authorizes the entrance or not into the water;
- Only when all conditions (weather, sea conditions and behavior of animals) are met, will clients be permitted, by the skipper, to enter the water in order to swim with dolphins;
- The directions on how to behave/proceed in the water are given on board;
- Sometimes, mixed trips, with passengers for whale watching and for swimming with dolphins, may occur;
- it is important not to disturb Cetaceans when resting, feeding or other individual behavior in the group of animals;
- While swimming with wild dolphins is permitted in the Azores, the company Aqua Açores encourages passengers to opt for observation. Even if the experience is unforgettable, it is very difficult to guarantee that the encounter will be the best.
Needed Material
- Mask and tube. We also recommend the use of fins;
- The use of a wetsuit is not mandatory. It is up to you to decide how you feel better;
- In the spring, with the low temperatures of the sea water, the use of a wetsuit makes the activity more comfortable;
- In the summer, with water temperatures around 23 to 24 ºC, you may not need the wetsuit;
- We recommend bringing a towel.
(All the equipment above referred may be rented in the store of Aqua Açores (except towels), limited to the existing stock)
Note: the company Aqua Açores will not be held responsible for any damage, loss of personal objects or equipment. Once more, we recommend the good conditioning for the transport on sea.
