Unexpected visitors!!!

Yesterday, the 28th of August was one of those days that were EXTRA exciting, since our boats and customers out on the water had some unexpected visitors... Our whale watching charter had a Humpback whale around for a few hours feeding only a few miles north of Pico. We had some amazing activity as the photos do show.

Photos by Leonie Mahlke

Pico Sport's divers had a very unexpected visit from a Minke whale while they were diving with Blue Sharks. The whale was very curious and stayed around very close for about 5 minutes. Awesome!!!!

Also Claudia and Manfred, our Austrian professional film makers had an amazing day out on the water, with the Humpback whale at the start of the day, Blue Sharks at lunch time, Atlantic spotted dolphins around dinner and a few curious Sperm whales at sunset...!!! Big smiles for customers AND crew all day!!!!

Sperm whale breaching

Today 19:00

a sperm whale breaching close to a whale watching boat at the south coast of Pico. The picture was taken on a Pico Sport Whale Watching trip on board the Blöack Pearl . Skipper Leonildo took the great shot.

www.whales-dolphins.net

Pottwal news

Pottwale verbessern die Klimabilanz

Pottwale entfernen laut einer Studie jährlich rund 400.000 Tonnen Kohlenstoff aus der Atmosphäre - und zwar auf indirektem Wege: Ihre Ausscheidungen regen das Algenwachstum an.

Trish Lavery von der Flinders University in Adelaide und ihren Kollegen sind bei der Untersuchung einer Pottwal-Population im Südpolarmeer auf durchaus erstaunliche Bilanzrechnungen gestoßen.

Wie sie in den "Proceedings of the Royal Society B" schreiben, leben in dieser Region rund 12.000 Tiere, die ihr Geschäft meist in den lichtdurchfluteten Bereichen des Meeres verrichten. Diese Angewohnheit bewirkt eine Nährstoffumverteilung von globalem Ausmaß. Über den Kot der Meeresriesen gelangen nebst organischen Verbindungen jährlich rund 50 Tonnen Eisen in die oberen Meeresschichten, das Phytoplankton reagiert auf diese Düngung mit regem Wachstum.

Die Bilanz: Jährlich werden der Atmosphäre dadurch 400.000 Tonnen Kohlenstoff entzogen - rund doppelt so viel, wie die Pottwale des Südpolarmeeres wieder via Atmung abgeben. Fazit: Walfang ist nicht nur in Bezug auf die Artenvielfalt verwerflich, er hemmt auch die Selbstregulation des Klimas.

science.ORF.at

Pico Sport sustainable

Pico Sport burns thousend´s of liters of fuel every season. To compensate we are planting threes.

The owners of Pico Sport operate Rhino watch safari Lodge in kenya.

Maisha is now an ambassador for climate justice and will plant 1 Million threes in kenya....

here a video from the academy we had in kenya in July 2011

http://www.plant-for-the-planet.org/en/node/16277

The Return of the Fin Whales

We are heading towards September and slowly the number of whale watchers is decreasing. August has been a very busy month (hence the silence from our whale watch crew on FB… ;-)) and apart from a few stormy days, the weather has been amazingly sunny and calm. The water visibility has been incredible, which made the dolphin swims a very special experience to all those that joined us. And also the whale watchers had amazing days out on the ocean. We have been fortunate to encounter at least 1 newborn Sperm whale calf of not more than 3 metres long, very curious to the surrounding boats. Also the dolphin pods showed high numbers of small calves.

Heading into September we observed the first returning Fin whale off the North Coast of Pico Island a few days ago. High, stable numbers of the big Baleen whales migrate through the Azores in the spring months heading up to their northern feeding grounds. On top of this northward migration, the last few years have shown Fin whales coming through the Azores in September feeding on the sardine runs in the Atlantic. When the sardines run close to shore, we have the exciting opportunity to encounter large pods of dolphins, many birds and sometimes up to 10 fin whales in the area. Here at Pico Sport we are keeping our fingers crossed for more fin whale encounters in the following weeks!!!

Danielle Dion photo

Photo by Robert M. Lehmann

Blue sharks at Pico island

Now it becomes clear.

Pico will be the Nr. 1 spot for the be very close to sharks. No other shark species comes as close as the Blue Sharks.

The french photographer and author Joe Bunnie is with us and took this 2 shoots yesterday . The sharks stayed more than 2 hours with him....on very close encounter.

You will see some of the Pico Blues in his new book +/- 5 Meter which is comming in to the market by the end of this year....and you will be surprised.....

soon more information on www.scubaazores.com

frank@scubaazores.com

Fullmoon at Pico

The summer is almost over. 4 more weeks and the season is done. It was a year of new experiences....

The fullmoon nights are impressive when the moon rises high above Mt. Pico. Its one of these nights where you sit at the Ocean, listen to the sounds of the sea and the shearwater birds, a nice glass of Pico wine and a fresh fish on the BBQ.....what a wonderfull place this is.

Pico Sport Whale Watching and Scuba Diving is preparing already the new season and invites YOU to come and enjoy our Island and the treasures of Nature with us.....Come an discover the secret.

whales@gmx.net

web cam online

Since today you can see what happens at Pico Sport. From my office window we see the Veranda of our base and the Ilheus Islands.....

click here

www.picosport.pt.to

Breaking news for 2012 Pico Diving season

Live aboard Dive Cruises in the Azores

The first time in the diving market in the Azores a Dive Cat will start to sail on Scuba Diving Cruises in the Central Islands of the Azores. From June 30th 2012 until the end of September 2012 the 13,5m Cat will operate under the flag of Pico Sport to explore the most exciting dive sites of the Atlantic Ocean.

The 7 day cruise includes 16 dives at the Blue and Mako shark spot´s , an overnight at Princess Alice Bank and an overnight at the most thrilling dive spot of Banco Joao Castro.

The rest of the nights we will anker in the ports of Faial, Madalena, Lajes or Velas. This allows us to enjoy the local cousine. The long distance sails will be done during the night so you wake up at the dive spot.

The Cat is also available for charter weeks.

In May, June and October we will offer sailing cruises from Faial, Pico to Sao Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira. We are sure that specially in may some blue whales will cross our route.

send us an e mail to request more details and be part of the newest Scuba Dive Product in the Atlantic Ocean...Only available for exclusive 6 divers per cruise !!!!!!!

whales@gmx.net