- Ross Clarke-Jones became caught in a rip and was dragged 200 metres
- He slammed straight into the rocks and couldn’t be seen by jet skis
- The 51-year-old hid behind a giant rock so that he could regain his bearings
- He suffered a concussion and is being checked for a broken leg in hospital
A 51-year old Australian surfing icon has almost drowned after taking on a wave that was almost eight metres high.
Footage shows the moment Ross Clarke-Jones got caught in a rip that dragged him straight into the danger zone as he surfed in Nazaré, Portugal.
He was then dragged under the water before being slammed into rocks 200 metres away from where he came off of his board.
Ross Clarke-Jones was caught in a rip and almost drowned when he was slammed into rocks
He was dragged 200 metres right into what on-lookers called the ‘danger zone’
In the video the surfer is then forced to take cover as he is stranded in the rocks where jet skis weren’t able to rescue him.
Mr Clarke-Jones said: ‘Launching back into rocks I hit my head and side, forcing myself to stay conscious I had an instant flash back to when I was 12, my brother and I used to hide behind the rocks at Terrigal’s tube rock.’
Axi Muniain, 36, was one of five people of jet skis trying to reach Mr Clarke-Jones and pull him from danger but they couldn’t even see him.
Alexander Triebel, 24, who filmed the ordeal, said that it was Mr Clarke-Jones against Mother Nature.
The 51-year-old couldn’t be seen by jet skis and was forced to hide behind rocks until he could get away
The surfing icon then climbed a rocky mountain face to safety
Mr Clarke-Jones is being treated for a concussion and a check to see if her broke his leg
But it was Mr Clarke-Jones’ extensive knowledge of the great blue sea that helped him get out of a situation any lesser surfer might not have been able to.
‘I was so relieved to see the devilish grin on his face when he crawled up over the cliff with limbs intact,’ Mr Triebel said.
Mr Clarke-Jones had a concussion and was taken to hospital to see if his leg was broken.
The 51-year-old is known for being the only surfer to ride right over on ‘Big Mama’ in Nazaré, which is considered to be the most dangerous peak across the world.