Heavy rains over the east coast of the South Island rapidly swelled many rivers yesterday including Dunedin's Water of Leith, which turned from a gentle stream to a raging torrent in 12 hours.
But the water that failed to spell disaster for Dunedin spelled fun for a group of local surfers, who saw a rare opportunity to try their hand at river surfing.
Kayakers traditionally attempt to ride the Leith when it starts to flood, however a group had mostly been stopped earlier in the day by police who were concerned for their safety, as the river continued to rise. It reached its peak in the early afternoon, dropping rapidly after about 1pm when kayakers again took to the river.
