Paddleboarder's seven-hour ordeal lost at sea
Tomasz Oleksik was knocked off his board by a large wave
A paddleboarder missing at sea off the Dorset coast for seven hours has described his ordeal.
Tomasz Oleksik, 45, was knocked off his board by a large wave while on a journey from Studland Bay to Old Harry Rocks with his 16-year-old son in July.
The holidaymaker from Bristol fell asleep in his buoyancy aid after becoming exhausted fighting the waves.
Tomasz 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.
"That’s when I lost control, it was the first time I felt how strong nature is. I had no chance. I felt so small."
Tomasz lost sight of his son and was unable to get back onto his board, kept afloat only by his buoyancy aid.
Tomasz said: "If I hadn’t been wearing a buoyancy aid, I wouldn’t have lasted 10 minutes."
Seven hours after launching his paddleboard, Tomasz was awoken by the sound of a helicopter overhead.
An RNLI lifeboat found him four miles east of Old Harry Rocks.
Tomasz was so tired from his ordeal that he could barely lift his arms, but he describes the moment of complete relief when he knew the lifeboat crew had seen him.
He said: "I saw someone wave back, and I knew they were coming to get me."
His son was found by police in Bournemouth after managing to get himself to shore at Hengistbury Head.
Tomasz said: "I’ve learnt the biggest lesson of my life. I want people to know my story, because not everyone understands what can happen on the ocean.
"I want to tell every paddleboarder: check the weather, check the tides, and wear a buoyancy aid. This is so important."