People who have surfed for a number of years will share tales of encounters with seals and porpoises while paddling in the ocean. In those rare instances, you might even find yourself losing out on a wave because a dolphin snaked the ride you were about to catch. It isn’t all that uncommon. However, the photos you’re about to see will surely surprise even the most experienced of surfers.

In a New Zealand surf location called Sandy Bay, photographer Michael Cunningham was in the ocean body surfing when he noticed a large fin measuring over three feet tall heading towards him and other surfers. “I didn’t have anything to sit on and with most of my body under the water, it felt a bit freaky,” said Cunningham.

The fin belonged to an orca whale. While other surfers remained in the water, Cunningham headed back to land. On the way in, Cunningham noticed the orcas were catching waves behind him. “They knew what they were doing and pulled out before getting into trouble,” said Cunningham. “They looked like they’d done it before.” Combining his photographic efforts with Tim Rainger, their camera lenses captured an absolute gem showcasing nature’s never-ceasing beauty.