Not sure about 'playing'...

[jimbunyard]

But an interesting video just the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTIcQMwYC1o

[jb2c]

Must not be lunch time.

[JPA Cate]

Kind of amazing to me that the swimmer behaved as if he/she were unaware of the orca's presence. Yes, interesting they did not take the swimmer.

Ann

[Saleen411]

Wow...If I were the swimmer I would be HARD TO PORT!

I wouldn't wanna be the first recorded victim of an Orca attack....no way Jose!!!!

[boatman61]

Introducing the calf to humans..

[IslandHopper]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTIcQMwYC1o

Filmed on 4 December at Hahei Beach on the Coromandel peninsular, New Zealand. I was watching a pod of orcas swimming up the beach, I saw a swimmer swimming along shore directly towards them, at this point I asked my partner to get my mobile phone as I wasn’t sure what would happen and I may have to call for help. The orcas circled her and she got quite the fright. She then got out the water as she was only 20m from shore. Some on lookers chatted to her about the experience and then to my surprise she got back into the water and swam back towards the pod, to I assume continue her training swim. I then 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.

...and just to note....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_whale_attack

However, wild orcas are not considered a real threat to humans, as there is no record of a wild orca outright attacking or harming a human. In captivity, however, there have been several non-fatal and fatal attacks on humans since the 1970s.

https://www.google.com/search?q=orca...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[Compass790]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Kind of amazing to me that the swimmer behaved as if he/she were unaware of the orca's presence. Yes, interesting they did not take the swimmer.

Ann

There is a woman in NZ who swims with the orca pods regularly, she is a whale researcher name of Ingrid Visser from memory. Orca population is only about 200 around NZ & they are dying off. Guess they would see humans a bit in the summer. Can't fancy us as a food item but luckily, unlike great whites, they dont take a sample bite. At least not so far in recorded history here.
Have seen them occasionally come around us whilst we are on the boat but too frightened to snorkel with them myself although it may well happen without intending it as they often hunt rays in the shallows.