Some Northland mates are in awe of a curious humpback whale who hung out with them during a diving trip. Video / Matt Alpin, Ocean Hunter Whangārei
It’s an experience four Northland mates will never forget - being in the ocean when a “super curious” humpback whale decided to swim over and hang out.
The friends – Whangārei’s Matt Aplin, Ollie Rankin, Haig Mehrtens and Dylan Codlin – are still buzzing from their once-in-a-lifetime encounter withthe oceanic creature during a weekend diving trip in the Cavalli Islands on Northland’s east coast.
The surreal moment was captured on camera by Aplin, who was struck by the intimacy of the encounter.
“It swam right up to us, it came right past the boat and was swimming next to the boat.
“It would roll on to its back and flick its tail; it was really playful.
“We were in awe of how interactive it was ... it was such an amazing experience.”
The group set out on their island-hopping dive trip during Matariki weekend in June with the aim of doing morning and afternoon sessions.
The juvenile humpback swam over to the divers and appeared to be playing, rolling in the water and flicking its tail.
They had completed a morning dive and were heading back to the boat for lunch when Rankin and Codlin, who jumped on to the boat first, spotted the whale cruising towards them.
With Aplin and Mehrtens still in the water, they slipped back in, and Aplin began videoing the marine mammal’s antics.
In the video, it can be seen swimming over to the divers and poking the tip of its nose through the sea’s surface, before heading under the water again.
Aplin, who owns Ocean Hunter Whangārei, said the whale spent nearly 20 minutes circling the anchored boat, rolling over, flicking its tail, and even mirroring their movements underwater.
Matt Aplin captured amazing video footage of the humpback whale swimming laps around the boat.
“It just swam around, doing laps around us.
“This whale was checking us out, and you could tell it was super curious.
“It was getting more and more confident as it hung out, it would come towards us and roll over on its back and then it would surface and you’re just thinking ... whoa, this is incredible.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Once the whale left, the friends got back on the boat and revelled in the moment.
The feeling of awe and disbelief is still with them, Aplin said.
“We just sat on the boat, revelling in this huge feeling of disbelief.”
Marine ecologist Dr Rochelle Constantine, who has been deeply involved in humpback whale research in New Zealand and the South Pacific since the 1990s, said the whale looked like an “independent” juvenile.
“Usually younger whales are curious which this one was.
“Humpbacks are curious anyway, even the adults will come over.
“It would have been slowly migrating north to the breeding grounds where it was born, most likely in New Caledonia or Eastern Australia.”
Department of Conservation marine species team technical adviser Hannah Hendriks also confirmed the species was a juvenile humpback, which migrate past New Zealand over the winter months.
She said the close encounter was “striking” and “quite uncommon”.
While the whale had approached the divers, not the other way around, she said interactions with whales should not be sought out or encouraged.
Hendriks reminded people that vessels must stay at least 50m away to protect both animals and people.
Dr Constantine reiterated the warning, and added that the distance should increase to 200m if it was a mother with a calf.
Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and social issues.
