Dorset paddleboarder describes seven hours lost at sea

Tomasz Oleksik and his son set off in calm conditions in July

A man who was found exhausted on his paddleboard after drifting four miles out to sea has described his ordeal.

Tomasz Oleksik, 45, was knocked off his board and fought the waves for seven hours off the Dorset coast in July.

He fell asleep in his buoyancy aid and was awoken by the sound of one of three helicopters searching for him before being spotted by a lifeboat crew.

Mr Oleksik said he had learned the "biggest lesson" about the danger of the wind and tides.

'Strong currents'

The holidaymaker, from Bristol, set off with his 16-year-old son on a journey from Studland Bay to Old Harry Rocks on the afternoon of 3 July.

He said: "The weather was perfect when we started. It was sunny, the water was calm.

"But I quickly lost sight of the beach and I realised how strong the currents were. I could feel something was wrong.

"Then the wind started and then the waves."

Seven RNLI lifeboats and three helicopters searched for the pair

Mr Oleksik drifted out in a strong offshore wind, losing sight of his son before a large wave threw him into the water.

He said: "I started to worry because I saw the sun set. I thought, 'If they don't find me before it gets dark, how will I survive?'"

Eventually he said he fell asleep in his buoyancy jacket with his head resting on the board.

At about 21:00 BST he was found by a lifeboat crew 3.6 miles (5.8km) east of Old Harry Rocks.

His son was discovered nearly two hours later walking to Bournemouth from Hengistbury Head where he had managed to land.

Mr Oleksik said: "I've learned the biggest lesson of my life.

"I want to tell every paddleboarder: check the weather, check the tides, and wear a buoyancy aid. This is so important."

The RNLI, which deployed seven lifeboats in the search, said the pair had been "incredibly lucky".

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