After a close call while paddling at Currumbin Alley this morning for myself and many swimmers and body boarders, I found this article interesting. Stay safe...
IT'S developing a reputation as one of Australia's most dangerous surf spots - and it's not sharks or monster waves that boardriders have to worry about.
Being mown down by a boat is the biggest hazard facing surfers who venture out at Currumbin Alley on the southern Gold Coast.
Already crowded with wave-riders, 'The Alley' is made even more perilous by the fact that they have to share the break with boaties in vessels of all shapes and sizes using Currumbin Creek to access the ocean.
Local surfer Richard King died there after being struck by a boat in 2011 and earlier this year, Bond University professor Chris Del Mar narrowly escaped a similar fate after his board was wiped out by a speeding vessel.
The fatality and numerous other near-misses prompted authorities to install safety cameras at The Alley and step up water police patrols.
Now the break is breaking bones.
Aircraft engineer Ross Mobbs, of Currumbin, suffered a badly broken arm when he was run over by an outrigger boat last week.
"I was sitting out the back waiting for a wave and the next thing I knew I was run over from behind,'' he said.
"The last thing you expect is this big vessel to come through the middle of the break and over the top of you.'
Mr Mobbs said one member of the all-female outrigger crew asked if he was OK but the boat kept going.
In shock, he was helped to the beach by other surfers and later taken to hospital where doctors inserted a steel plate in his badly broken arm.
Mr Mobbs said he contacted the outrigger club which apologised - but also told him he should be more careful.
"There's six of them in the outrigger - surely one of them should be keeping a lookout, especially when surfers are facing the other way,'' he said.
Mr Mobbs said it was his second run-in with an outrigger after a near-miss about two months ago.
He said he was speaking out as a warning to surfers and boaties.
