I had just got to the back of the surf line after launching. Caught a black shape jumping, in the corner of my eye. It was on our track so idled foward watching to see it again. Wasn't sure what it was. Then it jumped again about 50m away. Never saw any white but looking at it thinking - too big for a dolphin, and only 1 of them. I was in about 10m of water. So I idled foward a few more meters and shut the motor off, hoping to see it again, thinking Orca now. Then what happened next is on the vid. Except it went right round the boat basically brushing it self against the hull. When it came my side it was right under the gunwhale - could have touched it. It then rolled on its side and eyeballed me, then swam off.

We saw a family in Whangārei Harbour once, right where we were snorkelling a few minutes earlier. The big (I assume) male was a monster. It was quite breathtaking seeing him come alongside the little 4m boat we were on. Would you believe that not one of the two adults on the boat or three kids had a phone on them to take photos.

In another encounter, I was fishing from a jetski and had four young adults rush at me from each direction. That got the blood pumping! They soon lost interest, but one hung around for a photo.

Very cool. Obviously curious creatures. And don't have much to be afraid of.

kitno wrote: Definitely a buzz seeing them up close. My question is, how did you load that video on this site.