Swell time: Orca join surfers in water off Napier

Rangi and Stella Mitchell watching from Perfume Point as an orca pod swim around the bay. Photo / Lee Pritchard

KEY POINTS:

• Orcas in Ahuriri

Orca and surfers have shared the big swells off Napier.

On Monday, orca were spotted chasing fish - likely to be stingrays - and cruising in the swell off Perfume Point, before heading towards Westshore.

Those around Napier who had spotted the pod shared their excitement and photos on social media.

One person posted that seeing the orca was a "dream come true".

Surfers in Napier were joined by the pod. Some were happy to stay in the water, while others decided land was the best vantage point.

On Tuesday morning, some lucky people discovered that the orca group were still present, with one sighting reporting them in shallower water near Iron Pot, at Ahuriri.

A Department of Conservation (DoC) spokesman said it was not uncommon to see orca around New Zealand coastlines.

While orca are known to prefer deeper water they can be found in bays and estuaries.

"It's unlikely that Cyclone Cody had any impact on this pod, and they were more likely drawn in by a local food source," the DoC spokesman said.

The DoC wants to remind the public that it is important to keep your distance and admire from afar.

People can report sightings to 0800 DOC HOT.