The Watercooled Sports owner was joined in the water by a pod of bottlenose dolphins.
"There just happened to be four dolphins out there ... and as I was paddling back they came over to me," he said.
"I think they got attracted by the paddle in the water because when I stopped paddling ... they took off, but when we started paddling they came back over again."
He estimated some of the dolphins were up to 3m in length.
"They are big units. You wouldn’t want to get too close to them."
He tried to keep his distance, but the dolphins’ curiosity got the best of them as they approached him.
"I guess we are quite lucky here in Otago with all the wildlife we have and there’s not too many people out there."
Department of Conservation coastal Otago ranger Jim Fyfe said he believed the animals were bottlenose dolphins, which often came up the harbour to feed and calve.
"They explore further south in the summer months," he said.
"It’s a good time of year for food for marine mammals."
The animals were inquisitive, but people should keep their distance and not pursue them, he said.
"Give them space ... and if they have calves just stay away.
"If they come and investigate that’s fine. Enjoy the interaction and just avoid interacting with them.
"They are here for a reason and we don’t want people disturbing them."
While they were not considered dangerous to humans, they were wild animals and should be respected accordingly, he said.
