Jumping barracoutas, flying Hector's dolphins and even a humpback whale kept the sea off Taiaroa Head busy yesterday morning.
Reports of up to five humpback whales near the head could not be confirmed, but Dunedin wildlife tour vessel MV Monarch got within 200m of one feeding male.
Skipper Nigel Young said he heard a radio report from another vessel saying there were four or five humpbacks in the area.
Mr Young said there was ''loads of krill'' as Monarch headed ''about half a mile [800m] out'' from the Taiaroa Head lighthouse at 11am.
He saw what he thought was a whale's blow but, with windy conditions, Hector's dolphins and barracouta jumping, and giant petrels and albatrosses about, it was hard to be certain.
After sailing further from the coast, the vessel turned and went back to where the blow was sited.
''Then this big whale came out of the water.
''We didn't need to see the blow.
''We ended up being within a couple of hundred metres.''
Mr Young's passengers watched the whale for about 15 minutes as it fed, doing circuits under the water, before resurfacing.
Both southern right whales and humpbacks are seen regularly off the coast, and have been spotted more rarely in the harbour.
