Rare sighting of dolphin pod making a splash at Mairangi Bay Beach, Auckland

"The dolphins were jumping and doing a bit of a show". Photo / GirlsGetOutthereNZ

An Auckland woman has recalled her delight after catching on camera a pod of dolphins frolicking around a paddleboarder at a North Shore beach.

Avid paddleboarder Sarah-Jane Cansdale was at Mairangi Bay Beach checking out the conditions last Friday morning when she first spotted about eight dolphins, some way off the shore of neighbouring Murrays Bay.

She watched dolphins playing with a paddle boarder out in the bay, then jumped into action, wanting to capture the moment on camera.

"I had a long zoom lens in my car - so I just grabbed that and zoomed in," Cansdale said.

Sarah-Jane's outing at Takapuna Beach turned out to be more than she bargained for. Photo / GirlsGetOutthereNZ

"The dolphins were jumping and doing a bit of a show, and they were all swimming in formation towards Mairangi Bay Beach."

Cansdale was surprised at how long the pod stuck around for - she watched them for around three hours.

"I went away to get a coffee and when I came back they were still there," she said.

Sarah-Jane Cansdale was surprised at how long the pod stuck around for. Photo / GirlsGetOutthereNZ

"I couldn't believe it."

While she had heard of dolphins "cruising the shore" for years, she'd never seen them in the area herself.

"It was like a dream."