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Swimming with dolphins has always been your dream.
Now it's time to make it come true.
The dolphins you will swim with are wild dolphins. They are not provided with food,
nor are they trained and habituated to people. They
get close to us because they want to.
Our trips to swim with dolphins have a 97% success rate. Sometimes it's hard to guess
who is watching whom.
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THE AZORES - A NEW FRONTIER FOR TRAVELLERS INTERESTED IN WHALE WATCHING AND DIVING
Lying in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, more than 1000km west of Portugal, the Azores
comprise an archipelago of nine islands.
They represent the emerging peaks of a huge submarine
mountain chain known as the 'Mid-Atlantic Ridge' that divides the entire length of the ocean
from North to South.
Bathed in the warm waters of the Gulf stream the islands unique landscape,
nature and rich marine life are tightly connected to their origin and geographic location.
For all those seeking close encounters with whales,
swims with dolphins,
great adventures, scuba diving
and fun snorkelling the incredibly abundant marine life will not disappoint.
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OFFER VALID UNTIL:
3/29/2010
HOLIDAY DATE RANGE:
From 4/1/2009
To 4/11/2009
Last Minute Easter: 15% off!
Meet the Giants of the Sea during their migration North and relax in the unspoilt nature of the Azores, the second best archipelago in the world for sustainable tourism, according to National Geographic Traveller.
To add more to this, you will have the chance to swim with wild dolphins!
The holiday package includes the accommodation and all boat trips.
Do you want to meet the biggest animals ever to inhabit our planet?
The great whales are waiting for you in Pico for an unforgettable Easter Break!
OFFER VALID UNTIL:
3/31/2010
HOLIDAY DATE RANGE:
From 4/30/2010
To 5/31/2010
May Bank Holiday Breaks
This year choose a different way to use your May Bank Holiday. Come visit the Azores in May and get 10% off!
Prices range between 489 Euro/person (B&B) and 564 Euro/person (Hotel) for a 7-night stay.
May is the perfect time for magical encounters with the whales.
You will also have the chance to swim with wild dolphins, a dream come true experience.
Trek to the top of Mount Pico (2351m), discover the lava tunnels, explore the island of Pico and relax in its unspoilt nature.
All this and more for an unforgettable May Break!
OFFER VALID UNTIL:
3/15/2010
HOLIDAY DATE RANGE:
From 3/13/2010
To 5/15/2010
Giants of the Sea 2010
Book your holiday by March 9th 2010 and get 10% discount!
The package Giants of the Sea 2010 offers amazing opportunities for close encounters with the Baleen Whales; species such as the Blue whale, Sei whale and Fin whale.
March is the peak month for Blue whales - the largest of all animals!
There is even more to this program: you can also meet the Sperm Whale and many species of dolphins, such as Bottlenose, Common, Striped and the Risso's dolphins. And if you want to swim with wild dolphins, Pico island is the right place to do it.
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CW AZORES BLOG
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Recent posts in English:
CW Azores News!
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(2/10/2010)
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(12/11/2009)
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(9/6/2009)
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WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US
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"
A wonderful place, fantastic trips (can't believe how many whales
& dolphins we saw, and the view from the top of Little Pico is worth
the sore legs!). The most unforgettable trip, thanks to your friendly Team.
We don't want to go home!
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Sally & Steve (England)
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Thank you so much for an experience of a life time. We did not believe
we could possibly see so much in one trip.
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Pete & Penny (England)
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"
We had the most perfect week with you at the ocean. Saw lots of
beautiful things on and under the water. We hope to come back here.
Thanks a lot and big compliments to the crew.
"
René & Marnix (Netherlands)
"
Excellent, superbe, magnifique, exceptionnel... une énorme baleine commune,
un cachalot et trois baleines pilotes + un accueil très sympatique dans le
bungalow et dans le bateau. Merci mille fois et à bientôt!!
"
Christine et Thomas (France)
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"
Thanks for everything. we had a really good time. Saw lots of sperm whales and
dolphins. And the diving was just brilliant! We would definitely want to come back.
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Gill, Martin & Daniel (England)
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Extraordinaire, il n'y a pas d'autre mot pour décrire ces sensations...
accompagnement parfait et attentionné, excellent pilote. Pas l'ombre
d'un mal de mer. Merci à CW Azores et à toute son équipe.
"
Philippe et Martine (France)
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MORE THAN 20 SPECIES OF WHALES AND DOLPHINS CALL THE AZORES HOME
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You are guaranteed to encounter Sperm whales, Common dolphins and Bottlenose dolphins
throughout the year. Risso's dolphins are also year-round residents.
In February and March the plankton cycle creates ideal conditions for an extraordinary
explosion of life - prelude to the baleen whales (Mysticetes) arrival. Every year
species such as
the Blue whale (the largest animal on the planet), Fin whale,
Sei whale and Humpback whale are seen.
By early June other species also arrive, such as the friendly Atlantic spotted dolphin
and the Short-finned pilot whale.
In all more than 20 species can be seen, making the Azores
an unparalleled whale watching destination
and a truly privileged archipelago.
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" To the dolphin alone, beyond all others, nature has given what the
best philosophers seek: friendship for no advantage. Though it has no need of man yet it is the friend
to all men and has often given them great aid. "
(Plutarch)
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OUR WORK WITH THE PROFESSIONALS
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CetaceanWatching provides state of the art support services to TV Teams,
professional film makers, photographers and researchers.
Filming and photographing whales underwater is strictly regulated
in the Azores and requires a special permit from the Azores Government.
To obtain authorisation all applications are prepared with our help.
Click to know more...
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DIVING THE AZORES
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More and more divers are discovering the islands of Pico and Faial, their
submarine seamounts, volcanoes, arcades, pinnacles
and caves.
Still unspoilt the clear waters surrounding the islands teem with life.
See some superb marine invertebrates such as octopus, nudibranchs and
black coral; see
abundant fish including mantas, several species of moray eels, rays (mobulas,
eagle ray
and huge sting
rays), groupers, shoals of barracuda, tunas, jacks
and a myriad of smaller species.
Learn more
Watch video
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Learn about cetaceans and whale watching in the Azores
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Whales, dolphins and porpoises are collectively called cetaceans, since they all belong
to the order Cetacea.
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The order Cetacea is divided into 2 suborders: Odontoceti and Mysticeti.
Dolphins and porpoises, along with other species such as the sperm whale, the beaked whales, the narwhal and the beluga are Odontocetes
- i.e. they have teeth.
On the contrary, proper whales (mysticetes) do not have teeth. Instead, they have
a large number of comb-like keratin plates, called baleen,
hanging from the upper jaw. Baleen plates act like a sieve, allowing whales to filter
the plankton and small fish they feed upon.
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Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are mammals. They are warm-blooded
and give birth to live offspring, which are breastfed.
Unlike fish, cetaceans are unable to extract oxygen from the water and therefore need to
periodically surface in order to breathe.
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Cetaceans breathe air at the surface of the water through their blowholes, the equivalent of our nostrils.
Mysticetes (baleen whales) have two blowholes while odontocetes (toothed cetaceans) have
only one blowhole.
Unlike humans and most other mammals, they are unable to breathe through their mouth, which makes it possible for them to feed
underwater while keeping their respiratory system free of water.
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Cetaceans use their tail to swim. Unlike fish, the tail of whales, dolphins and porpoises lies in an
horizontal plane and it is moved up and down rather than from side to side.
Muscles actively work when the tail is raised, while they rest (or almost completely rest) when the
tail is lowered.
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More of this...
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