I hadn't been actively scuba diving in the last 4 years due to concentrating more on spearfishing but after a lengthy absence I had a yearbing to start blowing bubbles once again. After ringing about looking for suitable triips I eventually settled on a club dive, not expecting a lot I was really using it as an excuse to test out my new upgraded scuba gear.
On our 2nd dive, we were following a reef that juts out from the mainland called the Outpost. This is located a few kilometers south of one of New Zealands most well known diving spots Goat Island.
We were swimming in a chasm at a depth of 45 ft when I turned around to doublecheck on my buddy, and to my astonishment less than 10 feet away to my left an orca ambly cruises on by, gives me a wide toothy grin and a nodding gesture as it passes on thru.
After realsising I wasn't imagining things I regained my thoughts and then attempted to use the appropriate sign language to convey what had just happened to my buddy, as it was so quick she had missed the whole thing due to intently reading her gauges.
A series of stretched arms, porpoising motions and chomping hand motions just didn't seem to be translating thru!
But I needn't have worried as seconds later a larger whale and a smaller one of maybe 12 feet and I assume her calf of 6 feet cruised past, not fast but not taking the time to say hello either.
What a wicked site! And I knew I had a collaborating witness this time. On surfacing 20 minutes later we found the other 4 divers had also seen them on the surface, estimating a pod of 10.
Makes me realise that on any dive no matter how boring it may seem nature can unepectantly pop up the most amazing wonders.
It was my buddys first dives out of her OW class so what a way to be introduced to the aquatic realm!
Has any one else had encounters with these amazing creatures??
I realise it must be fairly rare as with the regulation regarding whales it is rightly so that you get the privelege.
On our 2nd dive, we were following a reef that juts out from the mainland called the Outpost. This is located a few kilometers south of one of New Zealands most well known diving spots Goat Island.
We were swimming in a chasm at a depth of 45 ft when I turned around to doublecheck on my buddy, and to my astonishment less than 10 feet away to my left an orca ambly cruises on by, gives me a wide toothy grin and a nodding gesture as it passes on thru.
After realsising I wasn't imagining things I regained my thoughts and then attempted to use the appropriate sign language to convey what had just happened to my buddy, as it was so quick she had missed the whole thing due to intently reading her gauges.
A series of stretched arms, porpoising motions and chomping hand motions just didn't seem to be translating thru!
But I needn't have worried as seconds later a larger whale and a smaller one of maybe 12 feet and I assume her calf of 6 feet cruised past, not fast but not taking the time to say hello either.
What a wicked site! And I knew I had a collaborating witness this time. On surfacing 20 minutes later we found the other 4 divers had also seen them on the surface, estimating a pod of 10.
Makes me realise that on any dive no matter how boring it may seem nature can unepectantly pop up the most amazing wonders.
It was my buddys first dives out of her OW class so what a way to be introduced to the aquatic realm!
Has any one else had encounters with these amazing creatures??
I realise it must be fairly rare as with the regulation regarding whales it is rightly so that you get the privelege.
