-----Original Message-----
From: kerby brown
Sent: Tuesday, 4 September 2007 12:13 PM
To: Paul Manners
Subject: Glad to be alive!!!


Sunday evening nooone surfing Jakes it was really good clean 6-8ft.This is 
the day after everyone towed big cow bombie down south.We were actually 
surprised the swell didnt make it up here as we were expecting it to be 
huge.Craiky Cortney(my bro) and myself headed out the last hour before dark 
and were having a really fun surf when about half way through I broke my 
leash I came in and there was still about 30 mins of light left and it 
looked really good so I paddled out with no leash for one more hoping I 
wasnt going to fall.

I got out the back and me and my bro were sitting on the takeoff ,Craiky was 
inside as he just caught a wave.all of a sudden we just saw these huge lines 
coming in off the horizon.We were yelling holy shit and me and Corts had our 
heads down and paddling out to sea as hard as we could.We paddled over the 
first couple 10 footers and there were bigger ones behind almost in position 
but really late my bro yells for me to go so without hesitating I just swung 
and airdropped out of it and the wall was so long I had no chance and I 
slapped my ear and got pumped so deep instantly making it even worse with no 
board attached.It started off the usual wipeout getting rolled deep and 
trying really hard to get to the surface but i wasnt getting up the harder i 
tried the less it was helpingI perferated my ear drum on the drop so This 
was also making me disorientated i felt I was almost out of air when i was 
pushed into the reef and under a ledge...I pushed off the reef and started 
to panic when i felt the next wave of the set hit me.(This was my first 2 
wave hold down I had been dreading this moment hoping it would never 
happen.)As soon as it hit me I went so deep again and by this stage I had 
been throgh about six stages where I thought I cant hold my breathe any 
longer I had no Idea what way was up and I started to get in a real dreamy 
relaxed state but there was still a little bit of me trying to hang on and 
not drift off.My brother was actually on that second wave and he wiped out 
half way down and got really pumped and came up next tp Ry and had time to 
get back on his board  when Craiky yelled Kerbs still hasnt come up from 
that first one.Realising I didnt have a board atached to me they started 
looking for me in amongst the white wash when just metres away Craiky 
spotted my arm rushed over and pulled me up as I  was face down not knowing 
where the surface was just before the third wave went over me.I think i was 
seconds away from being unconcios I just remember my bro and craiky trying 
to hold me on his board as I clutched in tighter than ever when the third 
wave hit us .We were way in the inside by now but I was in terror of that 
third whitewash.I didnt really know what was happening but knew I had to 
hang  on just one more time to survive.The boys got me into the channel by 
now it was almost dark and It took me along time to realise where i was and 
that i had come so close to drowning.I guess it wasnt meant to be because I 
know ifCraiky hadnt of spotted my arm I would be gone and the chances of him 
seeing me and being that clost to me in a deserted lineup with 12ft plus 
sets hitting was very lucky indeed.I thought Ive nearly drowned before but I 
now know what its like to actually nearly drown and its a really scary 
experience.Just takful Im still here to tell the tale!!!!!

Kerby