hiya wa howa aswat

A pod of acrobatic dolphins were pictured 'surfing' huge waves and leaping several feet out of the water in South Africa.

Approximately 40 bottlenose dolphins were spotted jumping out of the back of the breaking waves that were rolling into the coast.

Despite facing waves as big as eight feet some of the more energetic marine mammals were seen leaping six foot out of the sea.

The playful group were photographed by Mark van Collier as they made their way north up the east coast of South Africa, near Port St Johns

Mark told Rex Features: "This was a very large pod for bottlenose dolphins.

"Most of the dolphins were quite conservative with their jumps but one or two would occasionally reach for the sky and leap 6ft out the back of a breaking wave.

"They seemed to be enjoying themselves repeatedly surfing on the waves that rolled into the many small bays along the stretch of coast.

"I have seen dolphins do this many times in ones and twos but to encounter such a large group all joining in on the fun was truly amazing."