What this giant is like
The sperm whale is the largest of the toothed cetaceans. It has an enormous, square head that takes up much of its body. Its skin is dark grey and often shows folds, like wrinkles.
It is an extraordinary diver. It plunges to great depths and holds out for a long time underwater in search of squid, its main food. When it returns to the surface, it breathes slowly before setting off on another dive.
When it may appear on our outings
The sperm whale crosses the deep waters around the Canary Islands. It is not a resident we see every day, like the tropical pilot whale or the bottlenose dolphin. It is a passing visitor.
That is why coming across one is rare. The sea does not promise it and neither do we: nature alone decides. When it happens, it becomes one of those memories that are never forgotten.
If we are lucky enough to meet one, we approach slowly and without chasing it, sailing at under four knots near the cetaceans. The silence of sailing lets us watch it without disturbing it, respecting its calm.
An animal of quiet records
The sperm whale is often said to be capable of the deepest and longest dives of any mammal. It descends into the darkness of the ocean, where light barely reaches, and there it finds its food.
Seeing it at the surface is seeing only a small part of its life. Most of it takes place below, far from our sight. Perhaps that is why each encounter is so striking: it appears for a moment, breathes and returns to the depths. Remembering it that way, as a free and elusive visitor, is also a way of respecting the sea it inhabits. We do not chase that encounter or promise it: we wait for it with patience and, if it comes, we enjoy it in silence, grateful that the open ocean lets us glimpse the life of a giant for a moment.
