A family watches in amazement as bottlenose dolphins start jumping out of water. Supplied by Josiah Kerkhof
An Auckland teenager has captured spectacular footage of a pod of bottlenose dolphins leaping from the ocean off the coast of Whangamata.
Josiah Kerkhof, 14, told the Herald he filmed the video while out on a family fishing trip with his dad Bryce, mum Judy and his 10-year-old brother Jesseon December 30.
About 10am, two hours after heading out, they were yet to catch anything and so were moving to another fishing spot when they spotted a pod of about 20 dolphins nearby.
Just after Josiah got out his phone to video the creatures they started jumping out of the water.
"I've seen dolphins before in the ocean and also at Seaworld in Australia, but never anything like that. It's the sort of thing you'd expect from trained dolphins."
It was only the second time the Kerkhofs, who live in Manurewa but were staying at a family bach in the Coromandel, had taken the boat out.
Josiah said they spent about half an hour watching the dolphins before doing some more fishing. Jesse caught the only keeper - a snapper.
After returning to the bach Josiah immediately messaged the video to some friends.
"They were absolutely amazed. I had a few friends ask me if I was still in New Zealand."
Yesterday, Bryce uploaded it to the Facebook page Jigheads Paddling and Fishing Team, which describes itself as "set up by a couple of mates to help promote all forms of Kayaking and Fishing, both separately and together, & to share their experiences".
The 16-second video captioned "Amazing day with the family, following a few bottlenose dolphins" has been viewed about 10,000 times.
Josiah said he was "honestly amazed" by the response it had received.
