Up close and personal - "범고래가 바로 앞에"

오늘 지역 신문을 보다보니 이런 믿기지 않는 풍경이...

 

타우랑가 마운트 망가누이 앞바다에서  팀 테일러씨가 오르카(범고래, 킬러웨일)를 만나 찍은 사진입니다.

팀 테일러씨는 카약을 타고 뉴질랜드 전 해안 일주를 위해 요즘 마운트 망가누이에서 맹훈련 중이었고,

이 때 4마리의 범고래와 조우했다는 이야기입니다. 

 

아마 전에 우리가 본 범고래들이 아닐까 싶어 반갑기도 하고요.

마운트 망가누이 해변 20미터 앞까지 왔다고 하니까 이른 아침 해변에서 산책하던 분들도 일생에 단 한번 볼까 말까한

멋진 고래 구경 잘 하셨겠네요.

 

뉴질랜드 자연보호법에 따르면 카약이나 배 등은 고래와 만났을 때 50미터 이상 거리를 유지해야 되며,

만약 엄마와 새끼 고래가 함께 있을 경우엔 최소 200미터 이상 떨어져야 한다고 합니다.

 

운좋게 이런 멋진 고래들 보시면 영국 BBC텔리비젼 다큐멘타리 촬영팀에게 연락도 부탁한다고 하는 내용까지.

0800 SEE ORCA (0800 733 6722)
 

Kayaker Tim Taylor will never forget his training session yesterday.

The Mount Maunganui man, who is training to be the first to kayak solo around New Zealand, shared the waters with four orca whales.

Mr Taylor had paddled to sea off the Main Beach yesterday morning when he was stunned to see the large sea creatures.

"When I first saw them, they were the same distance out as Rabbit Island.

"I saw them spout their blow-hole thing. I had heard on the radio there had been some around on the weekend, so as soon as I saw that I knew what it was.

"I paddled as fast as I could to see them."

The whales then swam towards the shore until they were just 20m off the beach, delighting morning walkers.

"They were cruising around right in the shallows there, catching stingray.

"They came within touching distance, that's how close they were. They didn't seem too worried about me. They went cruising around and came and had a look, and would come up with a stingray in their mouth."

Mr Taylor paddled near the orcas for about 45 minutes, before they swam off towards Karewa Island. He estimated the animals were about 5m long - the same length as his kayak.

 

"I sort of cruised around and followed them.

 

They went up and around all the rocks around the Mount there.

"They got really close - I thought they could have been trying to scratch themselves on the rocks.".

Mr Taylor, a kayaker since age 12, has never before had such a close encounter with marine mammals.

"I have spent my entire life out in the Bay, and I've never seen orca here.

"I was pretty stoked to see that. It was a pretty interesting morning."

Fortunately, he always carries a waterproof digital camera on board his kayak, and was able to capture the magic moment.

The former Tauranga Boys' College student is in serious training for his 5500km journey to circumnavigate New Zealand.

He will set off on November 27 on the journey, which should take four to six months to complete.

Dr Ingrid Visser of the Orca Research Trust said it was not uncommon to see orca at this time of year in New Zealand - sometimes as close as a metre off shore.

"They are hunting for stingray. It's [still] a unique and special experience."

By law, vessels are required to keep at least 50m away from whales, or 200m from any large whale mother and calf or calves.

Dr Visser is making a documentary with the BBC and would like any orca sightings reported to the orca hotline,

 0800 SEE ORCA (0800 733 6722)
 

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http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/local/news/stingray-hunting-orca-close-to-shore/3919797/