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The sky was clear as I climbed aboard the Amphitrite. My heart pounded with pure happiness and anticipation as the boat gurgled to life and proceeded out of the harbour and into the clear turquoise abyss of the open sea. The ocean looked as if cobalt and jade watercolours were blending together on glass. Sometime later the boat shuddered to a stop, the coastline scarring the horizon behind us and a limitless body of calm water in front of us. There was no guarantee of course, that we would see them. Nature does not bend its will to suit human wants. The boat bobbed gently as we patiently waited for what could be a remarkable experience or an empty one. After what seemed like hours, an atmosphere of defeat had descended upon the group and my heart, which had raced when boarding, was beginning to feel heavy with disappointment. At that moment, several tall black fins gently splintered the plane of emerald glass, rising and falling out of sight as they swam. A cascade of water would burst with a hiss from their blowholes as they breathed in the cool, fresh sea air. There is nothing quite as spectacular as seeing whales in their natural habitats. Scientists have recently discovered that each pod of Orca has their own language depending on their geographical location and thus the Orca surrounding our boat exhibited a `Kiwi twang' when recorded. It was beyond amazing to meet such exquisite and playful locals. The Moari call Orca `upokohue' and believe their ancestors travelled to New Zealand on the back of a whale. They hold whales as sacred, believing them to be descendants of Tangara, the God of the Oceans. For many, including myself, there seems to be a natural pull towards the oceans; an ancient connection that flows through us and the whales, linking us on this little blue planet that we share. The Orca began to spyhop - a behaviour which can be likened to playing peek-a-boo with a child. The whale will sink vertically below the surface only to bob back up again. It is mesmerising to watch them have such fun. They also had a whale of a time breaching through the waves, their whole bodies suspended in mid-air before crashing back into the sea on their side in an eruption of sea spray in a breath-taking display. Once the whales had disappeared we began to truly appreciate what we had just seen. There is a symphony that only the ocean sings and until you've experienced the magic of whales dancing amongst the waves, you will not understand the song.