Traffic mayhem ensued when the pod of about six or seven orcas were spotted between Pukerua Bay and Paekakariki, north of Wellington.Video source: Mark Mitchell
A pod of orcas stunned rush-hour motorists today.
Traffic mayhem ensued when the pod of about six or seven orcas were spotted between Pukerua Bay and Paekakariki, north of Wellington this afternoon.
Local resident Philip Carthew saw two separate pods this evening.
He said the pods were heading north.
"Whenwe last stopped we saw about six go past. I think they were hunting or looking for stingrays."
A Herald photographer said several people on State Highway 1 stopped what they were doing and whipped out cameras and cellphones, mesmerised at the orcas.
Some people climbed across the median barrier on SH1 to catch a glimpse of the marine mammals.
He said police were visibly annoyed at the gawkers and other excited motorists who couldn't resist stopping to take snaps of the killer whales.
