Big wave surfer Ross Clarke-Jones shares his three worst near-death wipeouts

TO THE average person, his death-defying hobby is pure insanity. Big wave surfer Ross Clarke-Jones admits he has had many brushes with death, but these are the worst.

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IT’S THE sort of thing where even a still photograph can make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

For Terrigal’s Ross Clarke-Jones, though, it’s well beyond that stage now.

Besides, those hairs are usually slicked back by salt water and adrenaline, as he attempts to conquer some of the world’s deadliest breaks.

The big wave surfer has made headlines globally for his death-defying rides across huge swells, but it doesn’t always go to plan.

Clarke-Jones says he loves the thrill of the ride. Credit: Nac Noc

It’s not incredibly pleasant to relive, but for every perfect ride and close call, there’s a potentially life-threatening wipeout.

And Clarke-Jones has relived his worst exclusively for the Express Advocate.

1. “I THOUGHT THAT COULD BE IT”

“It was 1992 and I was out at the Mentawai Islands (Indonesia) with some friends,” he said.

“We were surfing the waves for the first time, it was our first expedition there, and we had no radio vests or buoyancy to bring you to the surface or anything.

“The first wave I caught I got smashed by a barrel and then as I was trying to swim back there was Teahupoo-esque 15ft swells rolling through.

Ross is no longer on the professional tour. Picture: Red Bull Content Hub

“I looked up and saw the guys had a look of horror on their face as I got crushed by a wave and I was pushed under water for probably 55 seconds.

“I was just trying to get to the surface but to be honest I almost gave up, I went through the panic stages.

“I didn’t see light at the end of the tunnel or anything but everything definitely slowed down and I thought that could be it.

Clarke-Jones has had a number of close calls on the water. Pictures: Red Bull Content Hub

“When I surfaced I ripped my helmet off and went straight back to the boat and got a bigger board.”

2. “I WAS TERRIFIED”

“We were at Pipeline, two of us, it was low tide so there were probably about six feet swells coming in,” he said.

“I went a little too high into a barrel and got sucked up into the wave.

“I landed pretty hard in a sitting down position on the rocks so my spine got compressed to the point I broke my back and was knocked unconscious.

Clarke-Jones. Picture: Red Bull Content Hub

“When I came to I was probably 10 metres away from the shoreline and I could see people running towards me.

“I couldn’t feel my legs.

“I had lifeguards pricking my feet but I couldn’t feel anything - it was terrifying.

“But then about five minutes later the feeling came back and I only ended up with compression fractures.

Ross Clarke-Jones in action and posed up. Pictures: Red Bull Content Hub

“I was actually able to walk back up the beach.”

3. “IT ENDED UP WAY WORSE THAN I THOUGHT”

“This is the one that only happened a couple of weeks ago at Nazare,” he said.

“You know what you sign up for when you surf there, but I didn’t think I was in danger at all.

“When you catch a big wave you are always looking for an exit point and when I thought I found mine I bailed off the wave and was pulled under the water for about 30 seconds.

Ross Clarke-Jones in action and posed up. Pictures: Red Bull Content Hub

“In that instance you just have to go with the power of the ocean really.

“The sets come and go that’s their nature it will all eventually dissipate so that was my thinking.

“I got dragged into the rocks, got knocked about a bit and was completely out of breath but I was having flashbacks to the Haven when I was 12.

“There’s a rock there called tube rock and we’d hide behind it because the waves broke over the top of you - that’s how I got myself out of this spot.

“It could have been so much worse.”

Ross Clarke-Jones in action and posed up. Pictures: Red Bull Content Hub