Rock fisherman survived a freaque wave encounter

This New Zealand case happened two weeks ago as reported by TVNZ:

A man watched in horror as his mate was swept off the rocks at a remote Dunedin fishing spot and drifted out to sea on Wednesday.

After 20 minutes in the chilling sea, 30-year-old Glenn Coleman was picked up by a passing fishing boat.

Both his ankles were broken and he had suffered a badly gashed knee.

Coleman, a freezing worker, and his mate Allen Taylor had taken the day off to go fishing near the lighthouse at Cape Saunders east of the Dunedin.

Taylor has told the Otago Daily Times how he saw Coleman lifted off the rocks by a rogue wave and dragged out to sea.

He said he felt "so helpless" as he had nothing to throw to Coleman to assist him and was "not that flash a swimmer".

Taylor ran for 20 minutes to reach an area with cellphone coverage and called police, who contacted a nearby fishing boat, which then picked up Coleman.

The man had been carried about 100m out to sea.

Both ankles broken and a badly gashed knee, but Mr. Coleman is lucky to be alive and there's a fishing boat nearby, thanks to his friend Mr. Taylor who ran for 20 minutes for help. This case demonstrated once again the importance of never, ever be out there alone! Being "swept off the rocks " by a wave is something to be expected -- not unexpected. I assume they all wore life jackets. That's another "must" no matter what! Thank God for these lucky survival stories, we can be lucky but we have to make certain and taking all the necessary precautions!