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Surfer's near miss

Wave-based disaster averted by inches

Surfer's near miss

Anyone who's seen Point Break can attest to the fact that surfing is very dangerous. Especially for us struggling body-boarders.

But here's a situation that even a seasoned surfer would find dicey. World-renowned pro Raimana van Bastolaer asked his friend Reef McIntosh to tow him into the wave. In Tahiti, the waves are so big that the only way to ride them is to be dragged into them by jet ski.

However, it was the first time Reef had ever tried to do a ski pull and when the tow rope was released the wave started to pull the jet ski over the lip.

Instant decapitation was thankfully avoided by mere inches. The jet ski was destroyed though. As was our wish to learn to surf this summer.

Image: Brian Bielmann/Solent