“One orca checked me out, looked me right in the eyes, scanned me, and fully interacted with me.”Video footage posted to social media shows the incredible moment the orca swam up within arm’s reach of the divers. Henderson, who has only worked with the diving tour operator for a few weeks, described the one-minute encounter as “epic”. She said the orca had been hunting stingray and playing with the bubbles left by the divers as they descended 30m toward Castle Rock. Henderson said the divers did not reach out or attempt to touch the orca, despite being within touching distance. Divers from the Cathedral Cove Dive and Snorkel had a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with a pod of orca last Friday.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 18, 2026 14:37 UTC