Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Footage of orca gets boaties buzzing

Jonathan Dine
Hawkes Bay Today·
11 Jan, 2016 04:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
A still from the footage shot by Ziggy Bawden

A still from the footage shot by Ziggy Bawden

Te Awanga fisherman Ziggy Bawden caught more than just crayfish while checking his pots at Cape Kidnappers last Thursday.

Mr Bawden managed to capture his close encounter with about a dozen killer whales on camera.

"We were just checking the cray pots then we saw some orca, so we went over to have a look. One came over really close and I got it on camera."

Mr Bawden posted the footage to Facebook where it has already been viewed more than 7000 times.

"It was awesome, just amazing."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Bawden was on board with his wife and father.

Although the trio counted roughly 12 orcas in the pod, only three came right up to the boat.

"They were just coming for a look," Mr Bawden said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said they weren't the "real big ones," the biggest being about five metres long.
"I've seen them before but not that close, it was by far the most exciting encounter I've had."

Department of Conservation (DoC) manager Dave Carlton said it was not unusual for orcas to cruise the coast of Hawke's Bay in search of food.

He said anyone encountering the wild animals should use caution and keep their distance.

"They are big animals and may have young with them so you don't want to break up the pod."

Discover more

Lifestyle

Festive felines, pooches and others gain homes

15 Jan 12:30 AM

Ziggy's father Neville Bawden has been fishing off the cape for 40 years and said this was also by far his most exhilarating orca encounter.

"I've seen them before, but they generally keep their distance."
He said he suspected one of the bigger bulls was watching what was going on from a distance.

"We really did just buzz all day, it was incredible."

Facebook users were in awe of Mr Bawden's footage.

"I have now watched it more than 10 times and can't get over it! What an amazing experience. No words for it. Just awesome,"Ann-Margaret Rooney said.

In the video one of the younger orcas is seen swimming right up to the boat and rolling on its back.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I love it how he's just showing off in front of you, like 'rub my belly'," Caleb Buffchacho McNabb said.

Trudi Calder echoed the sentiments of most commenters.

"Nature at its finest. Magical experience. Lucky boys," she said.

?To view the video, visit https://www.facebook.com/ziggy.bawden?pnref=story

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Napier MP Katie Nimon returns to Parliament with baby boy

09 Dec 02:22 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Sub-four-minute mile for Havelock North runner in the US

09 Dec 12:51 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Pine forest owner praises response as 5ha Hawke's Bay blaze contained

08 Dec 10:58 PM

Sponsored

The Bay’s secret advantage

07 Dec 09:54 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Napier MP Katie Nimon returns to Parliament with baby boy
Hawkes Bay Today

Napier MP Katie Nimon returns to Parliament with baby boy

'Lots of people have come over for cuddles, he’s a bit of an attraction.'

09 Dec 02:22 AM
Sub-four-minute mile for Havelock North runner in the US
Hawkes Bay Today

Sub-four-minute mile for Havelock North runner in the US

09 Dec 12:51 AM
Pine forest owner praises response as 5ha Hawke's Bay blaze contained
Hawkes Bay Today

Pine forest owner praises response as 5ha Hawke's Bay blaze contained

08 Dec 10:58 PM


The Bay’s secret advantage
Sponsored

The Bay’s secret advantage

07 Dec 09:54 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP