Whale meet again: Duo put on a show

Two adult humpback whales put on an epic display of whale acrobatics as the duo leaped, barrel rolled and splashed their way along the Northland coastline.

The whales were spotted off Tutukaka Coast by residents about midday on Monday who then alerted the team at Dive! Tutukaka.

Dive instructor Chris Sheath was on a day off but quickly got six others to join him out on the ocean in search of the impressive creatures.

Leaving the Tutukaka Harbour just after midday, the team headed north and it was only a matter of minutes before they found the whales. “We didn’t know exactly where they were but then we saw them breaching in the distance,” Sheath said. “We got ahead of them and kept our distance and then they swam and breached right in front of us.”

Sheath, a keen photographer, had his camera with him and took some spectacular photos of the 30-tonne mammals launching themselves into the air before slamming back into the sea.

“It was an amazing experience. I’ve worked here for five years now and this is the first time I have seen a display like this. They were really putting on a show.”