The Azores
Whales are our History
Azores
FROM WHALE HUNTING TO WHALE WATCHING
Think of the Azores and you’ll likely picture a variety of whales and dolphins swimming off our shores. This may be the best place on earth to view these magnificent creatures. Some like the sperm whale live here year-round. Many others pass through our 9-island archipelago on their migratory routes, stopping to feed on the rich plankton and krill that thrive in our deep coastal waters exceeding 3,000 meters (9,800 ft).
Of the 81 species of cetaceans (whales and dolphins) known world-wide, you’ll find 28 of them right here in our cool, blue waters.
18th Century
The whaling industry literally sailed to the Azores in the form of large sailing ships, called Yankee Whalers. Coming from the Americas, they were the first to explore our waters to hunt whales. They found a bounty of whales here and harvested the great creatures for their oil, used in lamps.
19th Century
The American ships sought harbor in the Azores to replenish their supplies. This brought them in contact with the men of the Azores who saw whaling as an economic opportunity and joined the whalers, sailing back to the United States to learn the trade. This was their introduction to the whaling industry.
1864
During this period in the 19th Century, many islanders learned their new craft aboard large American whaling ships. Returning to their homeland, they introduced whaling culture and industry to the Azores.
1896 – 1949
Sperm whales were so plentiful in the Azores and swam so close to the shore that hunting techniques evolved to fit this environment. The large Yankee whalers were abandoned and lookout towers, called vigias, were erected for spotters to locate the whales. Upon seeing a whale, the hunters launched oar-powered boats to quickly reach their prey.
1960
With the rise of the environmental movement and new technologies, whaling began to decline in the late 1960s. The peak whaling years of 1896 – 1949 had taken a heavy toll – whaling records show that 12,000 whales had been captured and killed.
1986
The protection of whales received a boost from the Bern Convention (1979), the first international treaty created to protect animal species and their habitats; and from the International Whaling Commission Moratorium (1982), which came into effect in 1986. Regulations now prohibited the capture of all marine mammals in Portuguese waters.
1987
This was a watershed moment for hunting whales in the Azores. The last whales were pursued at Pico Island, ending hundreds of years of whaling in our archipelago.
1993
Futurismo Whale Watching began, one of the first companies to offer tours in the Azores. This new whale watching adventure has restored the whaling culture to the Azores in an exciting and environmentally friendly way.
What has changed
Many of the old whaling artifacts have transitioned for modern use. The old whaling boats have been refurbished and are used in regattas. The former whale processing plant on Pico Island has become a Whaling Museum in São Roque, with displays of products that were derived from the whales.
The old lookout posts, or vigias, have been restored and once again are used to spot whales – although now for a more joyful purpose. Futurismo is proud to use these traditional methods for locating these beautiful sea creatures.
Today
Watching whales and dolphins in the Azores is a thriving adventure activity – one of excitement, fun, and increasing environmental appreciation. For anyone visiting our beautiful islands, this is the must-do experience.
Useful
Resources
AZORES OVERVIEW
AZORES OVERVIEW
Mother Nature has created nine Islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. There are many that consider the Azores as a paradise on earth. One hidden treasure.
Getting Here
GETTING HERE
We are just two hours away from Lisbon and Porto and less than four hours from the USA. Between the nine islands you can travel by boat and airplane.
MARINE SPECIES
MARINE SPECIES
There are resident species year-round in Azores, such as sperm whales, common dolphins, Risso’s dolphins and bottlenose dolphins.