An Auckland paddleboarder had a close encounter with a pair of curious orca while out for a jaunt on the waves this morning.
Justin Serville set out from Thorne Bay, a beach on the North Shore, before he was approached by the orca around 100 to 200 metres offshore from Castor Bay.
He captured the moment two orca came in for a closer inspection on a GoPro mounted to his head.
"Hello gorgeous, how are you?" Serville can be heard greeting the large marine mammals as they pop up next to his board at around 10am.
Serville said the pair swam next to him for around five minutes, in a playful fashion, before he decided to paddle back to shore.
He explained how he managed to remain calm throughout the whole experience.
"There was no reason not to be calm, they are intelligent animals and I am not on the food chain."
It's not the first time Serville has managed to film the majestic creatures up close.
Last October he also encountered orca in the shallows at Thorne Bay.
Justin Serville had a rare encounter with the huge marine mammals - after they decided to check him out in the water. (Source: Supplied)
The Department of Conservation (DOC) asks swimmers not to swim close to orcas, with a potential $10,000 fine if they’re caught getting too close.
It’s estimated there are around 150 to 200 orca in New Zealand waters, who forage the seafloor for salmon, tuna, herring, cod, sharks and rays, sometimes in shallow water.
SHARE ME