The man was stuck on a pontoon as the two orcas circled. Video / FacebookA casual late-night swim at Oriental Bay turned into a jaw-dropping encounter when Joel Crampton was flanked by two orca. The encounter was caught on camera by a group watching from shore, who had been keeping an eye on the man as he relaxed on a pontoon in the middle of the bay. In the footage, someone whistles to Crampton before jokingly calling out for him to jump into the water. As the video draws to a close, a child asks what would happen if the figure on the pontoon did jump in, prompting a dry reply from another voice: “He’ll probably get eaten, Tom.”An onlooker can be heard in the video pointing out an “oblivious man — just lying on his back”, moments before the presence of two orca becomes clear.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 17, 2026 02:35 UTC