Around 30 common dolphins cruise through Tokerau Beach in the Far North

The sight of around 30 dolphins cruising past Tokerau Beach delighted those Karikari Peninsula residents lucky enough to spot the pod.

A dreary Tuesday morning in isolation became an exciting affair for local Chris Hoffmann when he learned the pod was in the water directly in front of his home.

He quickly launched his drone to capture aerial footage of what he believed were common dolphins journeying past.

Hoffmann said several were young calves keeping close to their mums as they made their way south from the Whatuwhiwhi end of the bay.

A calf sticks close to its mum. Photo / Chris Hoffmann

“There was quite a number of them but not the most we’ve had.”

Even though it was pretty common to get dolphins visiting the bay, the experience never stopped creating a buzz.

“It was pretty awesome,” Hoffmann said. “It’s always a really special time whenever we get the whales or the dolphins through.”

In the past, he has watched on as dolphins hunted fish for long periods of time but this latest pod appeared to be “ambling their way south”.

He could see the dolphins dive below the water before popping back up for air.

Interestingly, two other locals had posted photos online of dolphins in the area on the first day of the month for both July and June, Hoffmann said.

Department of Conservation (DoC) information stated common dolphins have a very distinctive colouration. Their criss-cross or hour-glass type pattern centred on the dolphin’s flank help identify which species they belong to.

“Common dolphins may form enormous schools of several thousand individuals... This species is abundant but precise population estimates are largely unknown.”

The common dolphin, a regular to Northland and the Hauraki Gulf, tends to remain a few kilometres from the coast.

DoC is currently assessing the impacts of tourism on common dolphins in the Bay of Islands.