Located where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean and where Europe almost touches Africa, the Straits of Gibraltar is one of the most fascinating spots to view sharks, dolphins and even whales. Because of the special characteristics of the Straits, the marine ecosystem of these waters possesses great biodiversity, which sustains up to seven species of cetaceans over the whole year. In fact, despite the intense maritime traffic moving through these waters at all times, the Straits of Gibraltar is one of the top four places in the world to view these magnificent creatures.
With cetaceans including the bottlenose dolphin, striped dolphin, common dolphin, pilot whale, sperm whale, fin whale and even the orca roaming the straits, this is the ideal location to view them in their natural environment. Following the release of last year’s mesmerising and controversial psychological thriller, Black Fish, marine parks such as Sea World, Marine World and other entertainment parks that have whales and dolphins in captivity have seen a dramatic fall in attendance and appeal. As more and more people are reacting against animals in captivity, the fascination to view these majestic mammals in the wild has never been stronger!
Local whale watching and dolphin excursions leave from Sotogrande, Gibraltar and Tarifa, and travel along the coast as well as out to the deeper waters where Europe becomes Africa and the larger creatures can be spotted. With trips ranging greatly in options, duration, boat choice and activities, there are a myriad of companies and selections to choose from, but almost all of them will guarantee you a chance of more than 95% to spot some of the vast creatures residing in the waters.
From glass-bottomed boats and large dolphin safari tours to catamarans and smaller private boat trips, the excursions offer a great way to get out to the deeper waters accompanied with guided commentary and plenty of facts and interesting insights from the crew and wildlife experts to enhance your knowledge as you search for these giants of the sea.
Of course the trip is not only educational, but also great fun as children search frantically from one side of the boat to the next, screaming out in delight as they spot a fin or tail emerging from the waters. And, as more and more fins and tails begin to appear and dolphins commence their dance, jumping alongside the boat, adults too will relish in the beauty of the experience.
In addition to being a fun and exciting day (or afternoon) out with family and friends, a whale-watching trip also affords some stunning landscape shots. For budding photographers the chance to capture these wonderful species jumping at close range in their natural habitat is one not to be missed, but the spectacular views of Gibraltar, the Costa del Sol and Morocco, with the stunning Atlas mountains stretching out across the horizon, offers a sunset that is second to none, making this a unique spot on the very edge of Europe that you should experience at least once in your life.
By Jackie Cruz - Manifesto ·