CETACEANS WATCHING

Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, is known to be a paradise for nature lovers. One of the most exciting experiences that can be had in Tenerife is the sighting of cetaceans in the marine strip of Teno-Rasca. In the Canary archipelago, you can see more than 30 different species of cetaceans.

The combination of various factors, both geological and biological, make the island of Tenerife a unique place in the world for whale watching.

One of the most common cetacean species in the Teno-Rasca marine strip are short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Seeing these animals in their natural habitat is an exciting and unique experience.

To finish the excursion, after doing the whale watching, we anchor somewhere near the coast, we always look for the most comfortable place for our clients where you can enjoy a bath or snorkel.

To eat we prepare a delicious snack based on tapas suitable for vegetarians, you will also have cold drinks (Dorada beer, soft drinks, white wine and water).

We always sail within the Teno-Rasca Marine Strip, the band of sea running from Punta de Teno to Punta de Rasca, off south-western Tenerife. It is a Special Area of Conservation within the Natura 2000 network, and in January 2021 the Tenerife-La Gomera stretch became the first destination in Europe certified as a Whale Heritage Area by the World Cetacean Alliance together with World Animal Protection.

The seabed here drops away very quickly close to shore, so there is deep water just a few minutes from land. That is why cetaceans live in this strip all year round, rather than merely passing through. The two resident species we meet most often are the short-finned pilot whale — which, despite its common name, belongs to the dolphin family — and the bottlenose dolphin. Less frequently, Bryde's whales or sperm whales appear, and it is common to see loggerhead turtles surfacing to breathe and Cory's shearwaters gliding just above the water.

We never promise an encounter. The sea is not a stage that switches on when a boat arrives: we approach slowly, without chasing, sailing at under four knots near the animals, and we let them decide.