ORCA
ORCA is one of the UK’s leading whale and dolphin conservation charities, dedicated to the protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises around the world. Ocean Conservationists will be showcasing the incredible diversity of wildlife that can be spotted from the deck, helping everyone learn more about the marine environment around them whilst collecting vital data about whales, dolphins and porpoises to contribute to their protection. Whilst on board, the team will be delivering activities to help guests learn more about these amazing animals as well as the threats they face, including the Ambassador & ORCA pledge and the first ever cruise "Anti-whaling" campaign.
What to expect on this sailing... The Bay of Biscay is an incredibly productive area for various whales, dolphins and porpoises. The area is particularly important for elusive beaked whales and migrating fin whales.This is also an important area to monitor for the impacts of ship strikes - one of the biggest threats to large whales in the area. This voyage highlights the importance of the “anti-captivity pledge” and gives guests the opportunity to spot cetaceans wild and free rather than in captive facilities in the Canary Islands.
Sunshine is always a great cure for the winter blues, but whales and dolphins work even better and this itinerary combines both. Crossing the Bay of Biscay, our Ocean Conservationists will be collecting important winter data in this hotspot to help us better understand the migrations of whales and dolphins through this incredible hotspot.
After reaching the Canary Islands, we’ll have the chance to show how important it is to enjoy whales and dolphins in the wild where they belong, with Ambassador’s anti-captivity pledge being incredibly important in an area with a number of captive marine mammals. The Canaries and Madeira are also interesting locations for monitoring resident pods of dolphins, sperm whales and beaked whales.
Visiting Cape Verde in the winter will help us complement other datasets from the region, which are generally from the summer months.
We hope guests will join ORCA and Ambassador in choosing to see these animals only in the wild.