Marine Life Around Gozo and Comino You’re Likely to Spot From a Private Boat

Why the Sea Around Gozo and Comino Feels Alive

Gozo and Comino sit in the middle of the Mediterranean, right where warm southern waters meet cooler northern currents. This positioning makes the waters around them a vibrant ecological corridor where fish migrate, seabirds nest, and larger marine species pass by. For most visitors, the focus is on the cliffs, lagoons, and beaches. But look a little closer from the deck of a private charter and you’ll see another story – the sea is alive with motion, calls, and unexpected encounters.

The Gozo–Comino channel is relatively shallow at around 30–50 metres, yet deep enough to support diverse species. The currents stir up nutrients, attracting shoals of fish, which in turn attract dolphins and seabirds. Spend a day out on a private boat and you realise that the coastline is just the backdrop – the true theatre is the marine life that surrounds you.

Why Private Boats Make Wildlife Spotting Different

Seeing wildlife from a crowded ferry is often a fleeting experience – a flash of silver on the horizon, a glimpse of a gull overhead before the engines drown out the moment. On a private charter, everything slows down. The skipper can cut the motor, drift silently, and let nature come to you. Silence is powerful at sea. Without constant engine noise, seabirds feel closer, dolphins approach more readily, and the water surface itself becomes easier to read.

Another advantage is flexibility. Skippers know local feeding grounds, places where seabirds congregate, and seasonal hotspots for dolphins. They can adjust course if they notice signs of life – a cluster of birds circling, or flying fish leaping. Unlike a scheduled ferry, a private boat trip is tailored to maximise encounters. You don’t need to snorkel or dive to see Gozo’s marine life; much of it unfolds at surface level if you know where to look.

Dolphins: Gozo’s Most Iconic Marine Encounter

Ask anyone what they most want to see around Gozo, and dolphins top the list. These intelligent mammals are frequent visitors, often spotted riding bow waves or leaping alongside boats. Several species are known in Maltese waters.

The Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is the most common. Measuring 2.5–4 metres in length and travelling in pods of 10–20, they are social, curious, and often interact with boats. The Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis), with its hourglass markings and smaller body, is seen in more agile, energetic groups. Less frequent but still possible are Striped Dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), which stay further offshore but sometimes approach Gozo’s western side.

Pods are most active in spring and summer when fish shoals are abundant. Watching them isn’t guaranteed, but calm mornings give you the best chance. And while you cannot legally swim with them in Malta, observing them from a respectful distance is enough. Few experiences compare to a pod of dolphins synchronising leaps beside your boat.

Flying Fish and Surface Spectacles

Flying fish add a touch of magic to summer Malta boat trips. At first glance you think you’re seeing birds skimming the water, but a second later you realise they are fish gliding above the surface. Their elongated fins act as wings, letting them cover 30–50 metres, sometimes even up to 200 metres with wind assistance.

Why do they fly? It’s a defence mechanism. Pursued by predators such as tuna or dolphins, they break the surface and glide until the danger passes. From a private charter, you might see them in bursts – silvery flashes catching the sun before disappearing back into the sea.

They are easiest to spot on calm days, when the water acts like glass. Their movements often coincide with predator activity, so spotting flying fish might be the first sign dolphins are nearby. It’s one of those moments where the surface of the sea feels animated and alive.

Seabirds: Gozo’s Cliffs as Nesting Grounds

Look up from the deck of your boat and Gozo’s cliffs tell another wildlife story. These vertical limestone walls are not just dramatic landscapes; they are nesting grounds for thousands of seabirds.

The Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) is the island’s most distinctive bird. Endemic to the Mediterranean, 90% of its global population breeds around Malta, with many colonies in Gozo. They nest in burrows along the cliffs from February to July, filling the air with eerie nocturnal calls.

Larger and more graceful, the Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) glides close to the water’s surface on wings stretching up to 120 cm. Watching them surf wind currents near the Ta’ Ċenċ and Sanap Cliffs is unforgettable. The Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis), more familiar to visitors, forms noisy colonies, particularly around Comino.

From a boat at dusk, you’ll hear the cliffs come alive. The cries of shearwaters carry over the waves, reminding you that these islands are part of one of the Mediterranean’s most important bird habitats.

Turtles and Occasional Visitors

Dolphins and birds may be common, but patience sometimes rewards you with rarer encounters. Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) migrate through Maltese waters, occasionally surfacing near Gozo and Comino. Measuring up to one metre in shell length and living over 70 years, these turtles are long-distance travellers, sometimes spotted basking or surfacing for air on calm days.

Other occasional visitors include sunfish (Mola mola), with their flat, disk-like bodies floating lazily at the surface, and schools of tuna hunting beneath seabird flocks. Historically, even monk seals visited Malta, though today sightings are extremely rare.

While turtles are less frequent than dolphins, their presence underlines the ecological richness of these waters. Every encounter feels special, precisely because it isn’t predictable.

Underwater Life Seen From Above

The waters around Comino and Gozo are famously clear, with visibility often exceeding 30 metres. This clarity means you don’t need to dive to notice the life beneath you. From a boat anchored in Blue Lagoon, it’s common to see shoals of small bream darting below. Closer to rocky shores, you might spot barracuda gliding in groups or even an octopus camouflaged against the seabed.

Snorkelers get a closer view, but even passengers who stay on deck can appreciate the spectacle. Fish shimmer below the hull, swaying with the current, and patches of seagrass mark the habitat of countless smaller species. It’s proof that the Mediterranean, often thought of as overfished, still holds vibrant micro-ecosystems visible to the naked eye.

Best Seasons and Conditions for Spotting Wildlife

Wildlife sightings vary with the seasons. In spring, seabird colonies are at their busiest, and dolphin pods follow migrating fish. Summer brings calmer seas, making it the prime time for spotting flying fish and turtles basking at the surface. Autumn marks another bird migration wave, while winter, though rougher at sea, offers dramatic views and the chance to see shearwaters in different patterns.

Conditions matter. Calm mornings with flat seas are the best for spotting subtle movements. Afternoon glare on the water can reduce visibility, while overcast skies make silhouettes more obvious. If you’re hoping for dolphins, June to September is the peak period, though sightings are possible all year round.

The Role of Skippers and Local Knowledge

Wildlife spotting is not just luck – it’s also about experience. Local skippers act as guides, reading the signs of the sea. A cluster of birds circling? It usually means fish below, and where there are fish, dolphins may follow. A sudden disturbance at the surface? Flying fish might be escaping predators.

Generations of seamanship in Gozo mean skippers know when and where to look. They share not just sightings but stories, turning a day on the water into an ecological lesson. For visitors unfamiliar with the rhythms of the Mediterranean, that local expertise is what makes a private charter far more rewarding than going it alone.

The Emotional Resonance of Encounters at Sea

There’s something unforgettable about seeing wildlife in its natural element. A dolphin leaping alongside the bow isn’t just a photo opportunity – it’s a surge of connection. Hearing shearwaters call at night is eerie, almost primeval. Watching a flying fish burst from the water catches you off guard, like a secret revealed.

These encounters are fleeting, but that’s what makes them powerful. Ordinary minutes at sea suddenly become extraordinary. Even if you don’t see dolphins every time, there are always birds overhead, fish beneath the boat, and the constant possibility of surprise. The waters around Gozo and Comino are not empty. They are alive, and a private boat puts you right in the middle of that story.