Queenstown plasterer Oliver Day said he and his three friends Sam Fraser, Conor Barnes and Leigh Dickson were enjoying the weekend at Waitati.
The men decided to go fishing in the Blueskin Bay estuary in kayaks about 6pm on Saturday, when the ebb tide dragged them out to sea.
"It spiralled out of control,’’ Mr Day said.‘‘We got dragged out and got flipped out of the kayaks."
Mr Day swam against the current and after swimming for an hour was able to catch the incoming waves to the beach, where he found a campervan and raised the alarm using the occupants’ cellphone.
"As I was running in I thought, ‘I have to get these guys help’ because it was getting dark and with the cold the body starts shutting down," he said.
"I was knackered swimming but I thought I have to just keep on going, keep on going.
"One of the boys said it was his last breath when he got pulled in. He was saying, ‘If I die say goodbye to my mum’."
The friend, Mr Barnes, said he was still exhausted and shaken by the experience yesterday.
"I consciously made the decision not to drown but to freeze to death," he said.
"I can’t believe I’m alive."
Another one of the men had swum in to raise the alarm, not realising he had suffered a broken leg in the ordeal.
Dunedin search and rescue co-ordinator Sergeant Nathan White said the men were "very lucky" to survive.
The water temperature was about 10degC, they were swept 200m offshore and cloud cover prevented a helicopter from joining the rescue bid.
"Of the four, only three had life jackets and two wetsuits," Sgt White said.
The third man made it ashore as emergency services arrived at the scene and the fourth came ashore shortly after 8pm, he said.
"That’s just lucky in itself," Sgt White said.
"The water is pretty cold out there.
"An hour in the water at the moment is quite a long time, especially when you are battling and down on energy from trying to get back in. I’d say they were very lucky indeed."
It provided a reminder to all water users to be prepared, he said.
"If you are from out of town, you need to get a bit of information on that waterway and you need to make sure you have the right gear," he said.
"A life jacket is the bare minimum and depending on your level of experience a wetsuit isn’t a bad idea as well."
Mr Day conceded the four were unprepared for what they faced, as they were used to Lake Wakatipu’s more placid conditions.
"Next time I will be going out with flares and everything. And probably on a boat," he said.
The group felt very blessed and even managed to retrieve the kayaks with the help of SAR staff yesterday morning.
"All we are missing is one flip-flop and a hat," he said.
