Sightings of a 3-metre-plus white pointer shark leaping out of the water at Houhora in the Far North have prompted warnings for people not to swim in the popular bathing spot.
Houhora man John Boag, was sitting on his deck with a friend overlooking Houhora Harbour around 12.30pm on Tuesday when he saw the shark, also known as the great white shark, leaping out of the water in triumph after seemingly catching a kingfish just metres from the shore.
Boag has a wharf on his property that goes into the harbour about 100 metres from the Houhora Wharf and he saw the shark jump out of the water three times roughly half way between the two wharfs. He said Houhora Wharf and his own wharf are popular swimming spots where people jump off into the harbour.
Boag had seen a similar-sized white pointer in the same spot last summer and on Tuesday the friend asked him where he had seen the shark the previous year.
''I pointed out roughly where it was in the water and blow me about 10 seconds later we see a kerfuffle in the water and there it was again, it was quite unbelievable.'' he said.