Whale-watching in Tarifa

Between March and October Costa del Sol visitors stand a good chance of catching a glimpse of dolphins and whales that come to the Straits of Gibraltar every year to hunt for food, to mate and socialise with their friends. To Marbella residents frequently sailing along the coast these magnificent marine mammals are a familiar sight, especially the dolphins, which love to race ahead in front of the bow of large ships.

Whale Watch

It’s hard to describe the thrill when seeing the giant fluke of a sperm whale appearing just ahead of the boat. Tarifa is the best destination for whale and dolphin watching, especially for meeting with the second largest animal on Earth, the fin whale. The Strait of Gibraltar attracts seven species of whales and dolphins.

Various non-profit organisations such as the Foundation for Information and Research on Marine Mammals and Whale Watch Tarifa for example offer guided tours into the Strait of Gibraltar. See http://www.whalewatchtarifa.net/eng/index.html and http://www.firmm.org/en/ for details on their tours.

Some of the species sighted over the last few years are Striped and Bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, orcas, sperm whales and the aforementioned giant of the animal world, the fin whale. At a length of up to 90 feet and a weight of up to 130 tons the fin whale falls only marginally short of being the biggest animal on the planet. That honour still goes to the blue whale, which can be as long as 98 feet and easily weigh up to 170 tons.

Fin whales typically travel alone or in small pods – unlike dolphins, which have been known to combine their pods to several thousand strong out in the open oceans. Not every whale or dolphin species will put in an appearance on the day. Sometimes a boat trip produces little more than the sighting of a sea turtle, but the guides are so informative and enthusiastic about wild and marine life preservation, even uneventful trips are still a fantastic way to spend a morning or afternoon.

Non-profit organisations such as these organise whale and dolphin tours that are not invasive and contain a fun as well as an educational element.
 
From Whale Blubber to Landlubbers

After completing the marine mammal adventure there are plenty of land-based things to do in Tarifa, a small town in the province of Cádiz, at Spain’s southernmost tip.
 
A trip to Tarifa takes Marbella residents away from their beloved Costa del Sol and places them squarely at the Costa de la Luz, just across from the Rock of Gibraltar and the Straits, but Tarifa is well worth a visit in its own right, although nature lovers will argue it simply cannot compete with the magnificent fin whale.
 
Guzman Castle, which is located close to Tarifa’s port, dates back to 960 and the occupation of the Moors. Right next door sits the imposing 13th century Guzman el Bueno Tower, which overlooks the town. And on the site of a mosque that used to stand by the harbour, seemingly built just to complete this puzzling melee of Islamic and Christian rule, stands the Church of St. Mary.
 
Further along, also on the site of a former mosque, stands the lovely Church of St. Matthews, an early 16th century Gothic monument that received a facade face lift in 1774, when Torcuato Cayón de la Vega redesigned it. In medieval times Tarifa was encircled by walled defences and had three gates, of which only the     13th century Puerta de Jerez remains today.

Airborne Pursuits

Due to several miles of gorgeous sandy beaches and favourable winds that blow across the Straits wind- and kitesurfers flock to Tarifa every summer and the town has become a European hot spot with surfers from around the world.   Bird-watchers also love this part of Spain, for migrating birds, especially storks, come across the Straits in spring and autumn.

Tarifa is located approx. 80 km or 50 miles from Marbella, so a great destination for a day trip. Nature lovers with a holiday home in Marbella could time their Spain visits with the seasons, when migrating animals make the Straits of Gibraltar THE place to be!