Intense footage of the monster six-storey wave that shattered the leg of a champion paddle boarder in Gracetown has emerged.
The video shows the moment an 18-metre high, once-in-a-decade swell crashes over 38-year-old Justin Holland before a second wave smashes him in the back of the head.
The father-of-two from Kingscliff, NSW, is dwarfed by tonnes of white water at the Cow Bombie break off the Gracetown coast - moments before it crashes down on him snapping his femur.
A revolutionary ripcord activated flotation device in his wetsuit popped him to the surface where he was rescued by childhood mate, Jamie Mitchell, on a jet ski.
In the film, produced by mysurf.tv, you can also see Mr Holland's best friend Jamie Mitchell - who flew over from Hawaii for the swell - tackle the waves before the dramatic accident.
It also shows Mr Mitchell heading out on the jet ski before helping Mr Holland into an ambulance.
Mr Holland is recovering in Bunbury Hospital after a three-and-a-half hour operation that inserted two titanium rods into his broken leg.
He hopes to be back on the paddle board world circuit before the end of the year.
