Incredible footage of an orca diving beneath family's dinghy near Auckland. Video / Supplied
A pod of orca have been captured on camera diving under a family's dinghy.
Stephen Henry, a professor at Auckland University of Technology, was with family members on a dinghy in Mahurangi Harbour, north of Auckland, on December 30 when a pod of seven to nine orca approached.
His wifeBronwyn Abbott filmed then filmed some as they dived beneath their boat.
"It was wow, this is incredible, and a big surprise that they came towards us," he said of their reaction to the surprise encounter.
"They didn't seem to care about our presence and they would come very close when we were drifting in the dinghy."
He said he and his family weren't worried, and just tried to stay clear as they watched them.
"We were very surprised that they decided to go under the dinghy rather than in front of it which was their 'proper course' – perhaps they knew it would give us a thrill."
Henry suspected the big mammals were in shore hunting for stingray.
