Play day out on the water

As far as days out fishing go, builder Scott Carter and his son Nathan reckon it couldn’t have been much better with fresh scallops, two decent-sized snapper — and a spectacular humpback whale display.

The duo spotted the whale just outside Little Munro Bay on Whanga¯ rei Harbour just after noon on Saturday. It made its way out of the harbour entrance in spectacular fashion, breaching about 30 times, only about 10m from boats anchored fishing.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before. It was a special day out on the water,” Carter said.

The Whanga¯ rei man said he had been fishing on the harbour since he was a teenager and it was his first close-up encounter with such a massive sea animal.

But at first he thought it was a windsurfer having trouble getting his sail out of the water.

Using binoculars the Carters established the whale was swimming on its side with its fin dropping and slapping the water.

The day on the briny began early with the father and son hitting the water about 5.45am.

Two dolphins swimming near Smugglers Cove added to the perfect day but they were soon to be outdone by the humpback.

Carter said about 50 small boats were anchored near the harbour entrance fishing when the whale swam under them and then breached. “It was only about 10m from some of the boats and it was pretty spectacular.”

He rang whale expert Ingrid Visser and sent her photos for her records. Carter said the whale put on a great show and looked like it was having fun.

It was last seen heading north. Just last Wednesday four pilot whales stranded at Ruaka¯ ka¯ Beach and died. They were part of a pod of 30, which swam away.

If you spot a stranded whale or dolphin call 0800 DOC HOT. If you spot orca call Ingrid Visser 0800 See ORCA 0800 733 6722.