Pico island has unique conditions for dolphin/whale watching.
From Lajes do Pico, where FUTURISMO is located it's quite easy to find over twelve species of cetaceans. The area has excellent conditions for the sea mammals: abundance of food, significant deepth and clear unpolluted water.
In no other place in Europe can we find such a rich biodiversity and as much variety.
There is something mythical about Lajes do Pico and Pico island. The striking mountain, 2345 meters high, prevails over the scenery and fascinates the visitor capturing the eye.
The mythical side of Lajes do Pico relates to its history. With little over 600 inhabitants, its past of 150 years of whale hunting is a major issue. Whalers Museum gives us important fragment of this history but all around the village there are signs of the activity: in the docks, in the nautical patrimony and mostly in the people who lived in the days of whale hunting.
Today in Lajes do Pico the old and new whalers – pacifists such as yourself – live in harmony, showing that it is possible to turn whale hunting into whale watching. This allows us to get in touch with an impressive side of human nature. It is like the whole community is a living museum, animated by the old whale hunters and their relatives. Simply unique!
From May through October Lajes do Pico is turned into a meeting point of people from all around the world trying to get in touch with dolphins and whales by understanding their historical context in the island.
This is the scenario FUTURISMO AZORES WHALE WATCHIN a offers for your journeys of cetaceans´ observation.
The sperm whales have their favorite spot just 3 miles out Vila das Lajes; our statistics show that in 2007 over 93% of our trips were successful with whales. As for dolphins, our success rate is 98%. This makes Lajes do Pico an excellent destination for those who are looking for interaction with the dolphins. FUTURISMO provides programs for “encounter” with dolphins inside the water. In a non-agressive manner for the animals we try to bring our clients into a higher emotional level of contemplating the dolphins in their habitat.
