Lockdown Waiheke may be shut to day-trippers, but a warm welcome was extended to a pod of playful dolphins when they made a whistle-stop tour of the island this week.

The pod of eight dolphins frolicked at Onetangi Beach on Monday morning before dashing off to Oneroa Beach in the afternoon, bringing their party to a bunch of delighted paddle-boarders and swimmers.

Hobby photographer Dane Dixon was on the beach at the time to capture the magical moment.

“Everyone was pointing and looking at the dolphins in the water,” Dane told Gulf News. “I started walking along the beach and decided to take the camera with me, it’s got a 700mm lens on it and then we saw all the action down the western end of the beach.
• Liza Hamilton

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