In a remarkable incident off the coast of New Zealand, a peaceful fishing outing took an unexpected turn for three fishermen. While they were hoping to reel in some good catches, they experienced a surprise when a dolphin weighing over 400 kilograms suddenly landed on their small boat.
According to Dean Harrison, the owner of the 4.5-meter vessel, the group was fishing near the scenic Hole in the Rock when they spotted the dolphin leaping through the water. Just moments later, a shadow crossed their boat under the bright summer sun, followed by a loud crash as the dolphin jumped onboard.
“This dolphin decided to make a surprise entrance,” Harrison noted. “One minute everything was calm, and then out of nowhere, this massive dolphin is flopping around in our boat, causing quite a stir.”
The dolphin, measuring about 3.4 meters long, caused significant damage. It broke every fishing rod on the boat and severely impacted the front of the vessel. While one fisherman sustained minor injuries, including some scrapes, thankfully, all men and the dolphin emerged without serious harm.
However, getting the dolphin back into the water wasn’t as straightforward, given its size. Harrison mentioned, “We looked at the dolphin, still alive and breathing, and realized we had to care for it and figure out our next steps. It was stuck in our boat for the time being.”
The fishermen quickly contacted New Zealand’s conservation agency for assistance and were advised to head to a boat ramp about an hour away where help was waiting. Along the way, they used a hose to keep the dolphin wet and draped it with a damp towel featuring images of the famous All Blacks rugby team to shield it from the sun.
Upon reaching the shore, members of a local Māori tribe gathered to pray for the dolphin, which was later named Tohu, meaning “sign” in the Māori language. To honor the encounter, Harrison even decided to name his boat after the dolphin.
In the end, Tohu was successfully returned to the ocean, and all parties left the encounter with a remarkable story to share. Harrison reflected, “The dolphin could swim free, and we could head home. It’s a wonderful conclusion to what could have been a very different scenario.”
