Watch: Dolphins swim up to Devonport commuters, frolic with paddleboarder

A pod of dolphins surprised and delighted commuters, runners and even schoolchildren in Devonport on Monday morning as they swam in close to the shore line.

Between six and eight bottlenose dolphins including a calf were seen swimming near Devonport's water's edge and even following a morning paddle boarder.

A crowd of about 100 onlookers stood to enjoy the beautiful sight. The dolphins swam in about 7.45am and stayed in the harbour for about two hours.

Devonport resident Julian Braatvedt said it was an awesome and rare sight.

"They basically cruised all along the way to the wharf and then they looked like they were feeding, changing directions and coming in across the rocks and moving off again ...

"The last I saw them was by the Devonport Navy Museum and then I assumed they were going to whip around the corner so I cruised around to get them and then another six dolphins popped up so I'm assuming they were the same ones. But essentially they popped around North Head and then headed off towards Narrow Neck."

Braatvedt said other than being spooked by the ferry starting it's engine, the dolphins seemed "super chilled".

"There was a paddleboarder just cruising along with them... For a while they were following him which was pretty cool and after a while he was following them.

"They were coming right into where people were and some of the dogs were barking at the dolphins.

Fullers posted on its video, that the dolphins were the only traffic it was likely to see on its morning commute. Ferry commuters spotted the large pod in the Waitemata Harbour heading towards Devonport.

Department of Conservation (DOC) marine scientist Clinton Duffy said the pod of bottlenose dolphins was regularly seen in the Waitemata Harbour foraging for small bait fish and flounders to eat.

Duffy said that while the dolphins shown in the video and photos did not appear to be distressed by the paddle boarder, paddle boarders who saw a pod of dolphins should stay behind them.

"Allow the dolphins to continue swimming. Don't cut in front of them or paddle faster than the dolphins are swimming. Try to stay a discreet distance from the dolphins and don't interfere with their natural behaviour. If a dolphin swims up to you stay stationary."

However, if there were small dolphin calves in the pod keep then water users should keep away, he said.

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