A Tauranga dragon boat team was treated to an “incredible” surprise when a group of curious orcas joined them for a training session.
The Boobops dragon boat team — a group of breast cancer "thrivers" set to represent New Zealand at the world championships in Italy — were training in the water just off Sulphur Point when the curious marine mammals approached them.
“It was low, low tide, so it was very calm. And I said: ‘Right, no talking, let's concentrate on training',” coach Judith Butler told 1News.
“And then the next minute, I saw the fin in front of us, and I was like, 'oh, is that really what it is? Or is it something else sticking out of the water?'."
She said next minute, a pod of orcas emerged from the water — including a mother and her calf — and a giant one swam around the boat.
After seeing one "air itself", the team moved their boat off to the side, giving the orcas some space.
"And then this one went under our boat.
"Wow," Butler said. "Oh my God, it was amazing.
"We just sat and watched them until they disappeared out to the harbour."
The paddlers said the experience was "quite freakish" but also fantastic.
"I've always wanted to [see orcas] because I love the sea, and I love just being out there," Butler said.
"But to actually experience those amazing mammals right next to us was, the girls were buzzing."
After the orcas had left, Butler laughed that it "took a while to get them to refocus on training".
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