Fond memories of Moko mark sad farewell | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Tears flowed as Moko the two-and-a-half tonne mammal was farewelled by more than 500 people in a town that grew to love him.

While many of the stories and anecdotes spoken during the three-hour memorial in Whakatane yesterday were moving, one stood out above the rest.

Known only as Watene, the man took the microphone as the service was winding down and told his story.

"I was in jail when I heard a dolphin had come to Whakatane," Watene said.

"I told the fellows Whakatane was my hometown and when I got back there I was going to swim with that dolphin."

After his release on April 21, Watene said he had the opportunity to swim with Moko. "I went for a hikoi down to the river and saw these two sheilas with the fish, so I stripped down to my jockeys and jumped in."

When he first jumped in the water with Moko, Watene said he was probably a bit rough and the dolphin tried to push him out of the water.

"I thought he was going to eat my toes." Despite being told by the two women, who were the Moko minders, to be gentle, Watene went back to the dolphin for what he described as round two.

"He was really smooth when I touched him, then he talked to me when I was under the water, and then we became friends." Watene was one of more than 500 people who turned out at Whakatane's Mataatua Reserve to say goodbye to the dolphin.

Moko hung out in Eastern Bay waters for six months from January before arriving at Pilot Bay in Mt Maunganui on June 3. His body was found last Thursday. A post-mortem examination was unable to determine the cause of death.

After Moko's coffin had been driven through the town on the back of a truck, the procession came to a standstill at the reserve where a stage had been set up and metallic blue dolphin balloons blew in the wind.

Boogie boards and noodles, the 4-year-old Bluenose dolphin's favourite toys, flanked the stage and were woven into the floral tributes. A powhiri including local and visiting iwi took place before the tributes and stories began.

An emotional Kirsty Carrington, one of Moko's official minders, shared stories of her time with Moko after the welcoming speech by Ngati Awa cultural adviser Pouroto Ngaropo.

Brent Sheather was in the crowd, a Whakatane financial adviser, who had given a substantial donation towards Moko's memorial service.

 "He was friendly and brought so many people so much joy," Mr Sheather said.

After the service Moko was taken out on the charter boat Cascade around his favourite spots in the Whakatane Harbour and at Otarawairere.

He was then taken to Matakana Island where a service is to be held today.