A pod of Orcas interacted with a swimmer off the coast of New Zealand and the remarkable encounter was captured from overhead by a man operating a drone. A once-in-a-lifetime encounter to be sure.
Wrote Dylan Brayshaw, who is a surfing photographer by trade, and was operating the drone: “Filmed on 4 December at Hahei Beach on the Coromandel peninsular, New Zealand. I was watching a pod of orcas swimming up the beach, I saw a swimmer swimming along shore directly towards them, at this point I asked my partner to get my mobile phone as I wasn't sure what would happen and I may have to call for help. The orcas circled her and she got quite the fright.”
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Added Brayshaw: “She then got out the water as she was only 20m from shore. Some on lookers chatted to her about the experience and then to my surprise she got back into the water and swam back towards the pod, to I assume continue her training swim. I then launched the drone and filmed from a fair distance away making sure not to disturb the pod of orcas. What I witnessed was truly amazing.”
