Orcas entertain in harbour

FORTUNATE: An orca provides a great experience for crew aboard a fishing launch in the Whangarei Harbour. Photo / AARON DYER

A close-up encounter with a pod of playful orca in Whangarei Harbour has been described by a Northland man as "one of the best experiences ever".

Aaron Dyer was one of three people aboard a game-fishing launch cruising from Whangarei Harbour to Tutukaka, when he spotted the distinctive black and white whales in a channel near One Tree Point on Wednesday about 8am.

The 27-year-old, and his brother, Troy, had volunteered to help a mate take the refurbished boat up the coast to Tutukaka and was delighted with his decision.

"As soon as we saw them, the skipper jumped on the phone and rang the orca lady [Ingrid Visser] and, as he did that, we heard them blow out and could see them right behind the boat. They were swimming in the wake behind the boat. The smaller ones were right next to the boat but the bigger guys kept further away," Mr Dyer said.

"They came up real close and it looked like they were brushing the duckboard (rear of the boat)."

As they approached the deep water port at Marsden Point, Mr Dyer rang his fellow workmates loading logs on to ships to check out the orca show only a few hundred metres away.

Mr Dyer said they followed the pod for about 90 minutes and watched them hunt for fish in the shallows and cruise around the ships moored at the port.

"It's easily one of the best experiences I've ever had," Mr Dyer said.

And the good news for orca fans is more sightings over the next month or so along Northland's coast are likely.

Tutukaka-based Dr Visser was delighted to be alerted to the orca in the harbour and was quickly out on the water identifying the whales.

"There was Funky Monkey, Miracle and her two kids, Magic and Merlin, and Nibble," Dr Visser said.

It was usual for orca visit the harbour at this time of the year as they hunted for food, including stingray and fish.

Dr Visser, who followed the pod for seven hours before they swam off towards the Hen and Chicken Islands, said the pod had been feasting on fish and some of the scraps collected from the water would be sent away for testing to establish what they were feeding on.

Sound recordings were also done as the orca communicated to each other.

Dr Visser said there had been sightings of a pod near Limestone Island a couple of weeks ago. To see a video of this amazing encounter go to www.northernadvocate.co.nz or YouTube.

If you spot an orca, Dr Visser wants to know - call 0800 SEE ORCA, 0800 733 6722.