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Home / New Zealand

Watch: Kiwi jetskiers' incredible encounter with Orca family near Rangitoto island

Megan Harvey
By Megan Harvey
Social Media and Trending Reporter·NZ Herald·
15 Mar, 2020 11:37 PM2 mins to read

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A Kiwi couple who went out fishing came back with an exciting memory after they captured an incredible encounter with an orca family near Rangitoto Island. Photos / Sarah Hunter

A Kiwi couple who went out fishing came back with an exciting memory after they captured an incredible encounter with an orca family near Rangitoto Island. Photos / Sarah Hunter

An Auckland couple who went out fishing came back with an exciting memory after they captured an incredible encounter with an orca family near Rangitoto Island.

Mission Bay woman Sarah Hunter told the Herald she and her husband, Alan, were returning to Auckland on a jet ski when he first spotted an orca tail pop through the surface between Rangitoto and Tiritiri Matangi Island, around 1pm yesterday.

The pair watched from a distance until the orca disappeared — but it wasn't long before they spotted the family of three, one parent whale and two babies, again.

READ MORE:
• Appeal for information after orca harassed at Northland's Helena Bay
• Efforts underway to free orca trapped in cray pot line in Whangārei Harbour
• Photos: Pod of orca spotted hunting stingray in Mahurangi Harbour near Warkworth
• Video footage shows orca still tangled in crayfish pot line

"We saw them again and went closer and turned off the jet ski and they came straight towards us," Hunter said.

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"My heart was racing of course, and my husband was saying 'it's all right, it's alright, they're just being nosey, checking us out'."

A Kiwi couple who went out fishing came back with an exciting memory after they captured an incredible encounter with an orca family near Rangitoto Island. Photos / Sarah Hunter
A Kiwi couple who went out fishing came back with an exciting memory after they captured an incredible encounter with an orca family near Rangitoto Island. Photos / Sarah Hunter

A video captured by the couple shows the orca pod blowing bubbles before swimming closely under their jet ski.

"It looked like the big one turned around and looked up at us to say 'what are you doing here?," Hunter said.

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"It all happened pretty quickly ... it was very cool.

"We didn't get any fish so we were excited that happened ."

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