Update from our marine conservation volunteering holiday in the Azores archipelago, working on whales, dolphins and turtles
Welcome to group 2 – our most diverse (in terms of nationalities) this year. This includes our Singaporean quartet and our local student placement from Portugal.
Turning Green & Blue
After training, we first surveyed the south of Faial. It was worth the effort as a fin whale was sighted, albeit briefly. We then had information on possible blue whales south of Pico – several kilometres from our current location. Building seas and conditions heading towards Force 5, meant this would be a challenge for all, including our skipper, Pedro.
Excellent seamanship and navigation to avoid the worst of the conditions put us the area of the ‘blues’. By then some of the team had turned shades of green. Maja then made everyone’s day by locating the whales – two blue whales duly spotted with Portugal’s highest mountain in the background.
New records
On day 2 we had news of another sighting south of Pico, so we braved the conditions again. This turned out to be a good decision. We located a humpback whale – the first for the expedition this year.
After surfacing several times, and teasing us, it eventually showed its fluke – twice. We took ID shots, so hopefully we’ll find out if it is known from other locations in the North Atlantic. We also spotted a loggerhead turtle and common dolphins on the way back in.
Improving weather
Six different species in two short days is not bad. With conditions now due to improve, we are optimistic for more ‘new’ records
Read also: First I second I third I fourth I fifth 2026 diary entry of the Azores whale and dolphin expedition. Also: all 2026 Azores diary entries on one page.
Author: Craig Turner
Craig Turner was born in Oxford, England. He studied biology, ecology and environmental management at Southampton, Aberdeen and London universities. After graduating from his first degree, he left the UK for expedition life in Tanzania. Since then, he has continued to combine his interest in volunteer travel and passion for conservation, working with a wide range of organisations on projects and expedition sites in the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. He has managed expedition programmes for the Zoological Society of London, and is a frequent contributor to the ‘Explore’ conference held by the Royal Geographical Society (RGS). He is a Fellow of the RGS and the Linnean Society. Having visited and/or worked in more countries than years have passed, he now runs a small environmental consultancy with his partner, based in Scotland, where he splits his wildlife interests and work between the UK and overseas. He also crews for the RNLI and is casualty care trained. He is ever keen to share his exploits, writing for several magazines, and is a published photographer.