On this exclusive tour, you have a rare opportunity to go out with a whale researcher and expert guide on one of the more remote islands of the Azores, Pico. Spending time on Pico gives a real taste of the traditions and heritage of the Azores as it is one of the less populated, more isolated volcanic islands of the archipelago. Enjoy breathtaking views of the dramatic geological formations and caves surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean crashing on to the black craggy cliffs of volcanic rock below.

The sightings here are exceptional with very few other boats. Pico Island formed from a volcano and the majestic Mt Pico stands tall above the island, luring many people to make the ascent to the top, above the clouds. The sides of the mountain also descend deep into the ocean on the south coast of Pico which sets up the perfect conditions for an upswell of the phytoplankton where the whales can feed. Our whale expert chooses to conduct his research here as the sightings are so exceptional.  You will be given talks about whale behaviour and recent discoveries, with opportunities to observe their feeding, hunting and socialising. The research boat will go to areas off the main whale watching trail and will frequently be surrounded by curious dolphins and whales.

We offer this special small exclusive group tour for two weeks in April and May. The tour dates are set at the best time to get some excellent sightings of Blue whales, Fin and Humpback whales when they stop over to feed on the nutrient rich-water close to shore.

You will be part of an exclusive small group tour where you will meet other like-minded whale enthusiasts, accompanied by a tour coordinator,as well as expert marine biologists on all trips to sea.

Tour group coordinator and Whale Research on Pico Island  

 Your group tour coordinator – David Royce 

We are delighted to have David on board as tour coordinator. He has an immense dedication and infectious enthusiasm  for all things whale and dolphin and in our opinion is something of a “lay” expert!!  He is very perceptive with a dry and measured sense of humour.  He shares a lot of fascinating knowledge about the cetaceans with our guests. He is our person on the ground who will respond to your questions and help ensure everything runs smoothly. Also our skipper and marine biologist on board the boat ( Caesar and Roxy)  as well as the boat company are all on hand to ensure you have the best experience possible. We have a boat base at the harbour which will be the hub to prepare for your voyages out to sea.

 “My role on this trip”  – David Royce

“I am delighted to be joining the team as your tour coordinator, on what will be my sixth trip to the Azores and third trip to Pico. I consider myself to be an experienced novice.

I have been fascinated by the islands for over the 15 years, the volcanic geography, the deep-ocean coastline and abundance of species of the North Atlantic. I will be with you on the quayside and on the boat each day to help and assist the expert crew, Roxy and Caesar.

I will also be available during the day to advise and help if I can and will join you for the onshore island trip.

The North Atlantic is a vast space, exhilarating experience and Azorean weather can cover three seasons in one day. Its never Winter, you will be pleased to learn but you will need both sun-blocker and waterproofs for some sessions.

I do not see myself as a cetacean expert, but I am an enthusiast. I do not see myself as a tour guide, but I am enthusiastic about Lajes and Pico and can answer your questions or find the answer for you!

In modern theatre parlance, we would probably call this an ‘immersive experience’ – you are going to see and experience things close-up. This is neither a theme park ride nor a virtual reality moment and the close attention and preparations of the crew enable your experience in safety and without discomfort.

It is different and there to be enjoyed. The weather, the ocean, the animals. It is a classic experience that gives truth to the notion that having the right gear (clothing) affords (us) urban dwellers the chance to experience something away from our daily lives.

Oh, did I mention the weather? Mostly warm, never cold, often wet and occasionally the wind will drop! That’s when you are on the ocean, when you are ashore there are always plenty of places to find a welcome, some comfort and shelter!

But you will never see a blue whale from the shore ……

I have had but two moments of insight to share from the past 15 years.

• If you sit on the harbour wall or at a table beside the harbour and face to the south (having checked the compass on your phone) and decide to set off on a voyage, then the next landfall would be Antartica.
• When you have seen a blue whale up close then life as a human being will never be quite the same again.

Add to that the volcano towering over the village and the stars at night, and you can be quite certain that you are not on holiday on the Costa del Sol. “

Rui Peres dos Santos, University of the Algarve.

David wrote:

“To my great good fortune, I met Rui 4 years ago when he was a skipper for Futurismo in Lajes and I was a guest on this tour. This is the man who helped fulfil my dream of seeing the blue whale on the last day of the trip! We had seen many species and spent some extra hours on the water when we probably should have been heading back to port. But eventually we found the blue whale and returned tired, giddy but ecstatic.

Of course, this cemented the friendship.

Before I left Lajes I asked Rui’s advice. So it was that 4 months later we both ended up in Quebec on the MICS field trip, Rui as skipper and doctoral research student, me as the enthusiastic volunteer.

*Last year Rui and is colleagues found a new North Atlantic connection for Humpback whales, between the Azores and Mursmansk in the Arctic circle. Rui is also a published author and his book will be available on the tour.

Richard Sears, Director, Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) Quebec

Richard is commonly regarded as one of the world’s experts on blue whales. He has been returning to Pico for the MICS annual field trip for almost 40 years. It started when he was here visiting a Portugese scientist on Pico; there began a civil but hotly disputed ‘difference of opinion’.

Do blue whales migrate across the ocean on southern face of Pico?

The legend goes that during a debate/dispute in a villa on the hillside above Lajes, Richard saw a blow and remarked ‘Well, there’s a blue whale blow, right there’.

So began not only the annual field trip from Quebec, but also the impetus for local people to establish whale watching and attract eco-tourists to Lajes do Pico.

The purpose of the field trip remains just as it was 40 years ago – to attempt to photo-identify individual animals as they pass the island. These photos are loaded onto the historic North Atlantic database held by MICS, to be matched if possible with blue whales already logged on the existing base. Its important to notice that the cetacean research community honour each other and the common cause to such an extent that they ‘share’ all of their data.

This allows the scientists an opportunity to match animals photographed anywhere across the North Atlantic. That in turn provides analysis of blue whale migratory destinations such as Norway, Iceland, Newfoundland, Quebec, New England, Bahamas, everyone contributing to the growth of knowledge, which is just as well as we know so little of this retiring deep ocean species*.

Richard will be conducting his research at the same time and place as our tours. David Royce will be sharing and coordinating opportunities to learn about Richard’s research and attend some presentations during your stay.

“We were given short seminars after the trips recapping on what we had seen and allowing us time to consider what we had seen and to ask the marine biologist questions. They were always passionate about sharing their fascination for these animals and all things nature in general”

From the moment you step off the plane, our team will ensure everything is taken care of. You will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel where you will meet your expert guide over welcome drinks.  Your guide will be with you throughout the duration of your holiday ensuring you get the best experience possible. There will be regular briefings and updates, with plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Cetaceans are drawn to the Azores by the fertile water, rich in phytoplankton, which is the perfect place for the ‘baleen whales’ to stopover to feed en route north. Every year, a  spring phytoplankton bloom warmed by the temperate waters of the gulf stream around the Azores archipelago attracts a unique gathering of huge, ravenous Blue, Fin, Sei and Baleen whales (largest whales) on their migration routes to the feeding grounds of the northern Atlantic. Their numbers are increasing around the Azores and Pico Island which boasts some exceptional sightings.

The boats used are hard hulled inflatable RIB boats (exclusive use). The boats are very sturdy and can move easily and reach the whales swiftly, even if the sea is choppy. However, there can be some jerky movements on rougher seas. If you have back problems, or feel you prefer a boat with toilet facilities, we recommend you go on the Ocean Giants small group tour on Ponta Delgada as this tour uses a large stable catamaran.

Often, our boat is the only vessel around the animals which is very special. The research boats go to the best places to see the whales and approach with minimum disturbance in order to see as much natural behaviour as possible.

“We were on the boat and a huge gasp went up from everyone on board; a Fin whale had swum in front of the boat and opened its mouth out of the water to feed. It was only a split second but that sight is engraved on my memory.” Margaret Merris, May 2018

We will start our tour through the central part of the island. Once at the top, we will visit Lagoa do Capitão, one of the most beautiful lakes in Pico. It is part of the protected landscape area of “zona central” and also a good place to observe resident and migratory birds  as well as the native vegetation. Crossing the high plateau to the North Coast, we can enjoy excellent views of the ocean and the neighbour island São Jorge. From here we continue in the direction of São Roque where we get to know one of the many natural pools that is very appreciated by the local community. 

At the town of São Roque we visit the Whaling Industry Museum where we will learn more about our history. From here, we drive through the coastline with stops at Cachorro and Lajido – ancient wine production places. There, we will find typical adegas (wine cellars) and other places associated with the golden wine age. After lunch at a local restaurant in Madalena, we will stop in the vineyards of Criação Velha, the most emblematic place to understand why Pico’s vineyard landscape was classified UNESCO Heritage in 2004. On the way back to Lajes we still have time to stop at the Mistery of São João, one of the latest volcanic eruptions of the island. This tour has it all: interesting facts about whales, wine, beautiful landscapes, local culture and traditions. It will give you a global overview of Pico Island. 

It is easy to get to The Azores on flights from many UK and European airports, as well as from the USA. You can also travel via Lisbon and Porto from mainland Portugal.

This exclusive small group is led by an expert marine biologist and guide.  They will run a programme of talks and activities. They are very enthusiastic and passionate about dolphins and whales.

On this tour, you will have a chance to assist the marine biologist with research: for example, photo ID, acoustic sampling wit the hydrophone and data collection.

View the whales underwater in ‘real’ time using an underwater Go Pro as they pass beside the boat.

In recent years, we have been blessed with some exceptional sightings. Our groups have seen Blue, Fin and Humpback whales on many occasions, some so close to the boat you could smell their ‘exhale’ which had the aroma of their over-indulgent feeding on the krill. Even when the weather is challenging, we are usually able to reschedule cancelled boat trips to another day.

Our expert lookouts or ‘Vigia’ can spot the whales from land as they pass close to the volcanic islands and they direct the boats by radio contact to locate the whales. This makes for consistently excellent sightings, said to be some of the best in the world. It is a much more efficient system than searching for whales when out at sea. The lookouts were historically used to sight whales for hunting which was banned in the Azores nearly 30 years ago. The lookouts are employed by the whale watching companies instead for tourists to appreciate the beauty of these magnificent creatures rather than killing them – a true win for conservation.

The Azores boasts a tremendous variety of species with these giant migrating ‘Baleen whales’ frequently sighted in the spring as well as the resident Sperm whales who make the Azores their home as well as their breeding grounds. We frequently see the nursery groups of females with young. The abundance of dolphins are a delight, riding in the bow wave of the boat, leaping and twirling with joy. It is also possible to observe short finned Pilot whales, Orca, Bottlenose whales, seven species of dolphin, sea birds and marine life such as turtles and manta ray.

Our whale watching company has a research base offering a wealth of information and resources for our guests and it is possible to learn about the many research projects and conservation efforts being conducted around the Azores. Our guests are very impressed by the high standard offered by our boat company who are dedicated to offering you the best experience, as well as ensuring that all boat approaches are done in a responsible way where the welfare of the whales comes first.