logo
Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

Viral Drone Footage Shows Swimmer Who Is Being Surrounded By A Group Of Orcas Off New Zealand’s Coast

by Maryjane

Swimming is an enjoyable sport and, left to some of us, we’d love to explore more waters. While swimming off the coast of New Zealand, a woman had the experience of a lifetime.

This woman was savoring the moment of her training when three killer whales unexpectedly approached her. They were almost too close for comfort as she was enjoying her training.

The incident was unintentionally captured by Australian traveler Dylan Brayshaw using a drone, and it is nothing short of extraordinary. From Hahei, New Zealand, Judie Johnson, a skilled swimmer, attended a swimming session off the Coromandel coast.

But the woman soon discovered that she was being circled by a pod of orcas, turning what she had initially assumed to be simply another ordinary day at work into a hair-raising experience. When the swimmer learned she had to deal with orcas instead of dolphins, she became terrified and swam back to shore. 

Judie told the New Zealand news station 1News that there was a shape that went under her, like a giant shape, and she thought [it was] dolphins. She was quite delighted, but then she saw the great white color on the back.

"I was also thinking they eat seals, and I’m in a black wetsuit," she added. 

The moment was accidentally caught on by a drone by Australian tourist Dylan Brayshaw

The moment was accidentally caught on by a drone by Australian tourist Dylan BrayshawDylan Brayshaw

After taking a brief rest on the sand, Judie realized what was happening and made the decision to get back in the water. The three orcas joined her right away because they were still present as she had anticipated.

A woman was enjoying her training when all of a sudden three killer whales got almost too close for comfort

A woman was enjoying her training when all of a sudden three killer whales got almost too close for comfortDylan Brayshaw

But this time, she set her concerns aside and relished the exceptional experience. "It was so different to anything that’s happened to me before, and I thought, no, this is a life-changing experience," she said.

She also added that the orcas were as interested and curious about her as she was about them. The drone footage of Judie's surprising experience quickly became viral online.

The swimmer initially thought they were dolphins, but swam back as soon as she realized she had to deal with orcas

The swimmer initially thought they were dolphins, but swam back as soon as she realized she had to deal with orcasDylan Brayshaw

Dylan Brayshaw, the owner of the drone, was equally astounded and thrilled by the event. He described the encounter as "truly amazing" when speaking to local media.

The man also said that when the orcas circled the swimmer, she received quite a shock. Judie’s unexpected experience was caught on by drone, and the footage went viral online.

Watch the breathtaking video below!

In the words of the drone owner, Dylan, he said:

"She then got out of the water as she was only a few feet from shore. Then, to my surprise, she got back into the water and swam back towards the pod…I 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."

Share this story if you enjoyed it.

Share this article:

Facebook icon Pinterest icon Tumblr icon Link icon Twitter icon

Related Articles

Heroic Cat Goes Viral For Stopping A Baby From Falling Down A Steep Stairway

Heroic Cat Goes Viral For Stopping A Baby From Falling Down A Steep Stairway

Heartless Owner Tied Puppy To Pole And Left Her To Die But Her Fate Turned And Good People Saved Her

Heartless Owner Tied Puppy To Pole And Left Her To Die But Her Fate Turned And Good People Saved Her

Woman Ditched Two Boxes In Man's Yard, He Found 40 Eyes Begging Him To Save Them

Woman Ditched Two Boxes In Man's Yard, He Found 40 Eyes Begging Him To Save Them

How Gwen Stefani And Blake Shelton Nursed A Near-Dead Kitten Back To Health And Into Their Hearts

How Gwen Stefani And Blake Shelton Nursed A Near-Dead Kitten Back To Health And Into Their Hearts

Brave Officers Take Heroic Dive Into Vile, Muck-Ridden Sewage Drain To Retrieve Adorable Puppy Trapped Inside

Brave Officers Take Heroic Dive Into Vile, Muck-Ridden Sewage Drain To Retrieve Adorable Puppy Trapped Inside

Watch As Heroic Firefighters Race Against Time To Save Trapped Kitten Moments Before Raging Storm Strikes

Watch As Heroic Firefighters Race Against Time To Save Trapped Kitten Moments Before Raging Storm Strikes

People Furious After Watching Footage Of Dog Abandoned During Hurricane Milton

People Furious After Watching Footage Of Dog Abandoned During Hurricane Milton

Spooky Security Footage From The Wild Leads To Unbelievable Reunion With Missing Feline

Spooky Security Footage From The Wild Leads To Unbelievable Reunion With Missing Feline

Cyclist Discovers Mysterious 'Pink Blob' On The Roadside, Turns Out To Be A Precious Life In Distress

Cyclist Discovers Mysterious 'Pink Blob' On The Roadside, Turns Out To Be A Precious Life In Distress

Abandoned ‘Stone-Skinned’ Pup Undergoes The Most Miraculous Transformation, Thanks To Kind Stranger

Abandoned ‘Stone-Skinned’ Pup Undergoes The Most Miraculous Transformation, Thanks To Kind Stranger

Here's How Nikola Tesla's Childhood Cat Started His Fascination With Electricity

Here's How Nikola Tesla's Childhood Cat Started His Fascination With Electricity

How First-Time Cat Dad’s Joyful Adoption Healed Rescuer’s Broken Spirit

How First-Time Cat Dad’s Joyful Adoption Healed Rescuer’s Broken Spirit

Beloved Grand Teton Icon Meets Heartbreaking Fate In Highway Collision

Beloved Grand Teton Icon Meets Heartbreaking Fate In Highway Collision

Pilot Adopts Stray Cat Mid-Flight During Hurricane Evacuation

Pilot Adopts Stray Cat Mid-Flight During Hurricane Evacuation

He Was 'Worst Dog Ever' With Three Failed Adoption Attempts Until Right Owner Turned Him Into Local Legend

He Was 'Worst Dog Ever' With Three Failed Adoption Attempts Until Right Owner Turned Him Into Local Legend

Cat’s Heartbreaking Story Of Survival And The Foster Family Who Restored Her Trust In Humanity

Cat’s Heartbreaking Story Of Survival And The Foster Family Who Restored Her Trust In Humanity

Courageous Pup Gets Named American Humane’s 2024 Hero Dog For Rescue Of 7-Year-Old Kidnapping Victim

Courageous Pup Gets Named American Humane’s 2024 Hero Dog For Rescue Of 7-Year-Old Kidnapping Victim

8 Five-Week Old Puppies Were Miraculously Rescued From Under A Burning Car By California’s Finest Firefighters

8 Five-Week Old Puppies Were Miraculously Rescued From Under A Burning Car By California’s Finest Firefighters

Furry Fugitives Ground Plane As Crew Races To Capture  130 Escapees

Furry Fugitives Ground Plane As Crew Races To Capture 130 Escapees

Influencer Under Fire For Taking Baby Wombat From Its Mother In Australia

Influencer Under Fire For Taking Baby Wombat From Its Mother In Australia

Categories

Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

Business

About Us Advertise Contact Us

Legal

Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy DMCA Removal
 Logo
About Us Privacy DMCA Removal Contact Us Terms Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

© 2025 - All Rights Reserved

 logo

Sign In to

facebook icon Sign in with facebook
facebook icon Sign in with google

Or sign in with email

Need an account? Sign Up

Forgot Password?

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service

 logo

Sign Up to

Already have an account? Sign In

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service

Edit profile

User Photo