A Wellington man has been left "pretty awestruck" after a close encounter with several orcas while lying on a pontoon at Oriental Bay.
Joel Crampton said he had started going for nightly swims at the bay to get some quiet reflection and to pray.
While lying down on the pontoon Friday evening, Crampton said he was startled after being "interrupted" by an orca whale who "spouted all over me".
"I was pretty awestruck in the moment," he said.
"That's probably the last thing you expect to see on your evening swim."
Incredible moment Orcas surround swimmer resting on a pontoon - Watch on TVNZ+
A video recorded by an onlooker shows Crampton standing up on the pontoon and looking down at the mammals in shock as they swam around him.
Crampton told 1News the orcas were around 2m away from him.
"A bit of fear set in. I didn't know at the time that orcas were harmless," he said.
The Wellington local said he let the whales swim away before sprinting back to shore.
He said the experience hadn't put him off swimming at Oriental Bay and that he would likely return again the following evening.
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