| Porthole 06 Dec 22

A New Zealand boater who descended perilous rapids on the Kawarau River for his 15 minutes of fame has been slapped with a NZD$1,500 fine.

The daredevil, who videoed the feat and posted it to YouTube, was fined for entering a prohibited area of the incredibly dangerous rapids.

Despite the rather involved production value, which included drone shots and footage from the shore, the skipper contends he was unaware the footage would be posted online.

According to online sources, videos of similar popularity can earn anywhere between USD$3 to USD$5 per view, maxing out the publisher’s earning potential at almost USD$200,000 – much more than the fine he paid!