It was on his very first cast that the excitement of a fishing trip with mates turned to agony for Ben Davidson.
He and some mates had made a quick trip to Merimbula, on the NSW south coast, and "with only a couple of hours sleep and running on excitement, myself and two mates went to Tathra for first light".
As a long-time fisherman, Mr Davidson said he was no stranger to the threats rock fishing posed and he and his friends had taken plenty of precautions. They had life vests and all the right safety equipment, they scouted the area first and checked on the swell and tides before heading to the water's edge on Tathra Headland.
But it was on his very first cast that things went wrong.
"After casting in I was walking back away from the edge when a wave came crashing over me - I'm six-foot-four and it broke over the top of me," he said.
"It was a split second where I took my eye off the water."
"It was just a freak accident. These things happen. Lucky for my lifejacket."
The rogue wave drove Mr Davidson to his knees, and the full force cracked straight through his tibia. He also sustained a huge gash in his leg as the wash dragged him across the rocks while he tried to "hang on for dear life".
"I tried to stand but when my leg just went to jelly I knew it was a big deal," he said.
"My mates dragged me out to higher ground. I could see they were green at the gills - I was the designated ikejime man on this trip, they don't do blood well.
"I applied first aid to myself, stopping the bleeding first, then putting on a tourniquet. I was getting dizzy, then when we got out of harm's way I called 000.
"The lady was asking me if the patient was still conscious and I just said 'Well yeah, it's me!"
As well as the assistance from his mates, Mr Davidson said he was particularly thankful for the efforts - and banter - from the emergency responders including ambulance paramedics, police and Bega VRA as they awaited the arrival of the Toll Air Ambulance to winch him off the rocks to safety.
"I am so thankful for the pub-style banter and lots of laughs that morning, it really kept me going," he said.
"No-one wants to get that call out on a Saturday morning, but doing their job with a smile on their face really impressed myself and my friends."
Mr Davidson said while he was initially taken to South East Regional Hospital in Bega, one look at his injuries saw doctors there transfer him immediately to Canberra for specialist care.
He went in for his first surgery at 1am Sunday, June 19, to repair the huge wound in his lower leg and then on the Monday returned to surgery for the intensive work needed to repair his shattered kneecap.
Mr Davidson is looking at around eight weeks in a brace keeping his leg effectively immobilised as the injuries heal. Although in and out of Canberra Hospital for the past three weeks, he has just learned he can head home to Melbourne this coming weekend.
Despite the situation he remains positive.
"I'm just keeping a positive mindset. Making sure I'm getting enough good food and good rest - and good people around me.
"It's definitely been a bit of a journey!"
That positivity is extending to his rescuers, for whom he and his friends are gathering donations as "a small gesture of thanks".
The Melbourne man called the Bega District News from Canberra Hospital this week after reading coverage of the rescue by emergency services including NSW Ambulance, police, Bega Volunteer Rescue Association and the Toll SouthCare helicopter.
He wanted to express how grateful he was for their assistance that morning, and has even started taking up a collection to be shared among the various services "as a small gesture of thanks".
Once he's home, Mr Davidson said he was already considering heading back to his volunteer role with Fishcare and FishAbility.
"That's definitely on the cards. I'm close to the coordinator of the program and I'm keen to help them with some clinics."
Mr Davidson said for the past two years he had been volunteering with Fishcare Victoria on its FishAbility program, teaching children and people of all ages with disability the basics and enjoyment of fishing - how to cast, tie knots and so on.
"We always talk about safety in the clinics - 'Don't go rock fishing!'" he said with a wry laugh.
He planned to give the kids a talk based on his experiences, as a bit of a cautionary tale.
"The rewards are not always worth the risk."
