Helen Slade was among those protected by the dolphins. Photo / Northern Advocate
Helen Slade was among those protected by the dolphins. Photo / Northern Advocate
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It was a dramatic rescue that made waves around the world - now millions of people in the United Kingdom and United States have watched a documentary about dolphins protecting Whangarei Heads lifeguards from a shark attack.
Television critics have been raving about the UK-made documentary Saved ByDolphins, which features the dramatic rescue at Ocean Beach in November 2004.
Lifeguard Rob Howes and a group of Whangarei Heads Surf Lifesaving Club members - including Howes' daughter Nicky, Karina Cooper and Helen Slade - were on a training swim 100m out to sea when they were surrounded by a group of dolphins, which started circling the group, slapping their fins on the water.
One of the lifeguards saw a great white shark and realised the dolphins were protecting the group from a shark attack.
In October 2006, UK documentary-makers Big Wave Productions made a dramatised documentary on the rescue.
It screened on the BBC for the first time on February 8 and, despite going head-to-head with soap EastEnders, was watched by 2.4 million viewers.
The Sunday Express praised the documentary and had it as its "must watch" show of the week.
Tim Martin, series editor of the BBC's Natural World programme, said: "I can't remember a film that so effectively combines such exciting story-telling with such profound insights into nature."
Mr Howes is amazed at the publicity the show is generating for the Heads region.
"Some of the comments on the documentary really praise the scenery and everybody who has seen it so far reckons it's very good," he said.
He has seen the show on a DVD sent by Big Wave and hopes TVNZ will buy the documentary.
* To find out more, check out www.bigwavetv.com and look under the "productions" section.
