Travel Blog
In this space, I inform the reader about my experiences during my trips and I name many interesting attractions for each place or region, so that the reader could go to the best restaurants, hotels and attractions suggested by me and, of course, at the best price.
Travel Blog
In this space, I inform the reader about my experiences during my trips and I name many interesting attractions for each place or region, so that the reader could go to the best restaurants, hotels and attractions suggested by me and, of course, at the best price.
Travel Blog
In this space, I inform the reader about my experiences during my trips and I name many interesting attractions for each place or region, so that the reader could go to the best restaurants, hotels and attractions suggested by me and, of course, at the best price.
Francisco Ferreira
December 14, 2019 • 11 minutes to read
DolphinBay: sailing with bottlenose dolphins
It’s located about 40km from Lisbon, it’s surrounded by crystal water beaches, imposing fortresses and stunning cliffs and it’s the mouth of Sado River. I’m writing about Setúbal Bay, a very beautiful and unique region, which has plenty to offer to people who visit it. More specifically, the bay is delimited, in the North, by Serra da Arrábida – a large mountainous elevation, located between Setúbal and Cabo Espichel, where you can find some of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal and even in the World –, in the South and West by the Atlantic Ocean – which the bay is also part of – and in the East by Tróia Peninsula – a big and sandy strip formed because of sediment deposition since about 5000 years ago. It’s due to this peninsula that Sado River becomes a beautiful estuary, since it forms a unique ecosystem for affording the establishment of various species, such as bottlenose-dolphins. These dolphins take a laid-back life between river and sea, riding the waves, and they are often visited by tourists, who enjoy watching them, since they perform great shows like in a circus or a zoo.
Serra da Arrábida and Tróia Peninsula Landscapes
So, intending to watch this Nature show, we went to Setúbal on a calm and beautiful morning.
We parked our car right in front of the piers, about 20 minutes before 10:00am (expected time to start), as requested, to check-in. After that, the passengers started getting on the boat, whose maximum capacity is 75 people, so, at 10:00am, tethers were already being loosened. After the departure, the crew members introduced themselves and we started getting further and further away from the coast line. The heavenly Serra da Arrábida and Tróia Peninsula began to take place in the skyline, while passengers were exploring the vessel and the biologists were searching, through binoculars, the protagonists of the trip: the dolphins. On board, tasks are very defined and divided: Mrs Patrícia Mota and Mr Fábio Matias are marine biologists, Mr Tiago Rodrigues is a sailor and Dr Hugo Marques is the vessel master. Since the first moment, we noticed that all team members were very friendly and attentive, so we classify the service as professional.
Boat and beginning of the trip
The boat was moving further and further away, so we could already see the imposing Serra do Risco (the highest limestone coastal escarpment in Europe – after all, it’s a 380m fall next to the sea). And while Sesimbra was already appearing, behind the cliffs, I started getting hungry: a chocolate cake which was in the bar looked great, so I decided to taste it, as a blogger (1,50€ each slice). Although the look of the cake matched its flavour, I didn’t stay there long, because I was curious to explore the basement, where there were some windows, so we could see under water – that compartment was below water level. Through the window, we could see, sometimes, seaweeds and, rarely, a small fish. I just couldn’t see the seabed, once the place where we were was too deep. Shortly after leaving the room, it was midday, and the dolphins hadn’t appeared yet. I came back to the deck to make sure I didn’t miss the great moment.
Basement and slice of cake
We began to see small splashes, even though they were a little far away. Soon, we were sure they were dolphins. We got close to them, and the scene was amazing. Lots of dolphins were jumping and diving energetically into the clean and blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. For an even more complete experience, Mrs. Patrícia let me go to a net that almost touched the water, so that the dolphins were swimming right next to me and, sometimes, they were jumping so high that they almost reached me! That moment was so wonderful, so unique, so beautiful, I just wanted it not to end and I wished I could dive into the clear ocean and explore the bay and all the places of Alentejo coast with those dolphins…
Common-dolphins next to Sesimbra
However, in order to comply with the legislation imposed by Serra da Arrábida Nature Park for animal security, the dolphin watching moment lasted no more than 30 minutes, so, at 12:30pm, the boat was returning to Setúbal. We saw again Serra do Risco, the beaches, Arrábida Convent and the imminent Outão Fort. A few minutes later, Mr Fábio offered, each adult, a glass of Muscat, the typical drink of the region. The boat was getting closer to the mainland and the temperature was rising a lot, so that when we docked, the thermometers in Setúbal were indicating 31ºC.
Landscapes in the return and Setúbal Muscat
Professional from the first to the last minute, this team finished the trip, and the passengers applauded their competence. If you are keen on taking part of a trip with Dolphin Bay, don’t forget to bring a hat, sunscreen and, obviously, a camera, for recording the most special moments of the excursion. On board, you can also dive, since there’s snorkeling gear, after watching the dolphins (if there is time enough). During the trip, you may not see any dolphin. However, although there’s not refund, you can repeat the trip for free, on a day of your choice. You can even watch other dolphin species, like common-dolphins (instead of watching Sado bottlenose-dolphins) – that’s what happened to us. Maybe we were lucky, once, according to the biologists, these common-dolphins use to be friendlier than the bottlenose-dolphins. Fortunately, the price isn’t, at all, exorbitant – it is 35€ per person (free until 3 years old / 15€ until 12 years old) –, so the quality-price ratio is very catchy. The boat is very stable and cozy, and it has two bathrooms, a spacious deck (with terrace) and a bar with tables and benches, where you can buy some affordable souvenirs – in addition to the cabin and other restricted access spaces. There are also life jackets and the price is covered by all insurance required by law, so the safety is guaranteed.
Compartments of the boat
The propulsion of the boat is partially electric, and it will become fully electric soon. It was made available the access for passengers with special needs (when accompanied by a caregiver), for wheelchairs and for other equipment, to make the boat more accessible.
I have really enjoyed this trip, which showed how wonderful is Nature, unfortunately in trouble if we don’t change certain actions and if we don’t reverse this irreversible destruction on Earth.
Summing up:
• Price: 35€/person (free until 3 years old / 15€ until 12 years old)
• Duration: 3h
• Groups: until 75 people
• Included: insurance required by law
• Not included: food expenses, souvernirs, etc
• Contacts: 937 882 746 / 916 326 452 / geral@dolphinbay.pt
• Location: Dolphin Bay – Golfinhos (Setúbal)
For more details about the trip (in Portuguese), click here.
Useful Informations:
• Medium temperature: 14ºC (Winter) and 30ºC (Summer)
• Nearby localities: Lisboa, Almada, Montijo, Alcácer do Sal, Montemor-o-No
Take a look on my Serra da Arrábida Photo Album and on the following video, which shows briefly what you can experience during the trip.
Images: Francisco Ferreira (PhotosOfEurope)