Hunting Sperm whales was very successful off the Azores during World War II through the mid 60’ until 1968, when the ban on whaling took place worldwide. Before the whaling stopped, the hunting teams built towers on the high peaks off Pico Island, from where the Observers could see 20 to 30 miles out to sea, providing real-time location information to whaling captains out at sea.

Today the whalers are gone, but there is still a man on watch for whales and his name is Antero. From his perch on the mountainside he knows the waters like no other. He was my observer earlier in the 90’s when I first arrived to dive in the Azores to swim with Sperm whale and he is still the best in the business. We are honored to be operating under the eagle-eyes of a local legend.

We have set up two departures during the peak season to meet a few of the world’s iconic ocean giants – blue whales, possibly false Killer whales hunting on shoals of Tuna. We also have a good chance to dive with and film pilot whales, pods of common dolphins, blue sharks, and mobula rays off Princess Alice Bank.