Eastern Bay people fortunate enough to be at the Whakatane Heads on Monday were treated to a fantastic sight.
About 1pm, an orca bull, mother and calf frolicked just inside the Whakatane River mouth, much to the delight of a local audience.
Nashi Teepa, who managed to snap a photo of the orca, said although the experience was awesome, people were worried because they were swimming into the mouth towards the park.
"We didn't want them to get stuck or stranded and, thankfully, they turned around and swam back out to sea," she said.
Kelly Wilson said her children and their grandmother had seen the orca at Thornton beach in the morning.
