"No fear" is the motto when up close with an orca, Gisborne diver Jim Kahukoti says.

He was still buzzing yesterday after an "absolutely righteous" experience when he ran his hand along most of the seven-metre length of an orca – also known as a killer whale – near the Port of Gisborne.

"My friends said it might have thought I was a seal and eaten me," Mr Kahukoti, an instructor with Adventure Dive Gisborne, said.

"But when a seal knows a predator is around it sends out vibes saying I'm frightened and that probably indicates to the orca that there is food in the area. So, like I say to my students, `Don't thrash around, keep cool'."

Mr Kahukoti was preparing to enter the water with a group of students on Wednesday when he saw two fins approaching, one very big one – more than a metre high – and one very small one.

"I jumped into the channel and started slapping the water but I didn't really think it would come in.

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