New Zealand College Campus Becomes Dangerous Flood Area After Heavy Storm, Students Decide To Kayak It Anyway

SteveHolt11 years ago

After a heavy storm flooded a stream at Otago University in Dunedin, New Zealand, some intrepid students grabbed their kayaks and hit the rapids instead of going to class.

A New Zealand media outlet, Stuff, caught up with some of the kayakers to find out more about their adventurous afternoon.

Ten kayakers – nine men and one woman – braved the Leith stream, which runs through the Otago University campus, on Wednesday after it was transformed into a raging river following heavy rain in Dunedin.

“It was pretty fun,” university canoe club president Hughes, 22, said.

“There [are] parts where it’s a bit scary. It’s quite shallow in places and you don’t want to go upside down if you want to keep all your teeth.”

Canoe club members kept a close eye on the weather forecast and surveyed conditions on Wednesday morning, he said. A subtle message was posted online inviting those game enough to ride the rapids.

Everyone who took part was at least a grade 4 kayaker, Hughes said.

“[The online invite] was a little bit cryptic so then campus watch or the police don’t come after us. They didn’t seem to be too angry with us this time. I think they accept we’re wearing a helmet and lifejacket and we know what we’re doing.

“You know every danger that’s in there and you know what to do.”

This sounds awesome. New Zealanders are some of the coolest outdoorsmen on the planet, so it’s hardly surprising that they turned their campus into a white-water rapids paradise. While it’s probably really dangerous, these guys clearly know what they’re doing.

If this happened at an American university, can you imagine the tragic aftermath after dozens of drunk guys with zero kayaking experience just said fuck it and kayaked some flood rapids anyway? CNN would have content for weeks.

For reference, here is what campus looks like when it isn’t a raging river..

[via Stuff]

Image via YouTube