Orcas have a whale of a time in Devonport

Three Orca whales delighted onlookers near the Devonport terminal just before midday. Photo / Michael Craig

A pod of orcas stunned onlookers in Devonport today.

The three Orcas were spotted frolicking in the water between Bastion Point and North Head just out from Devonport at about 11.45am.

The orcas were swimming near the ferry terminal before heading out to deeper waters.

People stood on the shore and near the ferry terminal taking in the impressive sight and trying to record the moment on their phones.

Project Jonah general manager Daren Grover said it fortunate they had appeared during the week when there was less chance of them being overcrowded by onlookers.

Grover said the whales usually visited the inner harbour was because they were following the coastline and looking for food.

"It's a nice safe place for them to come into each of the beaches. One of their chosen foods is stingrays and of course stingrays live in the shallows, so of course the orca are going to come close to shore."

A Fullers ferry arriving at Devonport also waited a few minutes for the whales to play before safely docking while keeping the required 200m distance.

"It was certainly a treat for our customers, getting a view of the orca before getting off the ferry at Devonport," Fullers360 general manager operations Megan Watson said.

The whales were in the area until about midday before heading towards Mission Bay.