Vesna Andric's day began with a paddle out to sea in a wooden rowboat and ended with her having her spine reattached to her pelvis.
Andric was competing in the George Bass Surfboat Marathon, dubbed "the longest, toughest surfboat race in the world".
Held between Batemans Bay and Eden, on the NSW Far South Coast, the event covers 190 kilometres of coastline.
On January 4, Andric's team from Tathra was pulling into Horseshoe Bay in Bermagui after winning the day's race.
The boat hit a sandbank and the sweep, who steers the boat, was thrown into the water.
Andric and some of her teammates jumped out of the vessel to try and correct its path after it pitched sideways.
"I just remember tumbling under the water and then having the boat slamming me down into the sand," she said.
"Imagine something between 250 and 300 kilos slamming into your body and crushing you, pinning you under the water."
Teammate and friend Kate Whitton watched on in horror as the accident unfolded.
"A freak shore dump wave threw the boat and it collided with Ves," she said.
"She received the full brunt of the boat."
Andric's pelvis was fractured and separated from her spine.
She also suffered extensive internal bleeding caused by fractured ribs and a pierced lung.
"I came to the surface and I was just heaving, calling for people to help me," Andric said.
Off-duty doctor, ambos on hand
Alongside the women, the Tathra men's rowing team was also finishing the race.
On board were four paramedics who suspected Andric had a spinal injury.
With the support from emergency doctor Corin Miller, who was fortuitously present as a race spectator, the group were able to stabilise Andric and access pain relief from a local GP practice until the arrival of on-duty paramedics and a helicopter ambulance.
"It was obvious Vesna was critically injured," Dr Miller said.
"The quick thinking of the surf lifesavers and paramedics stabilised her spine and probably saved her life.
"It was really a team effort with everyone playing their part."
'Freak conditions' in risky sport
Whitton said surfboat racing could be a dangerous sport.
"By its nature, it is a sport where accidents can occur and do occur," she said.
"But it's rare for an injury of this seriousness to happen — it was just a mix of freak conditions on the day."
Race coordinator Andrew Holt said he was shocked by the severity of Andric's injuries.
"Anything in the surf has some sort of risk attached to it, but what happened with Vesna … I've never seen anything like it before," he said.
The rowers were due to launch from Narooma that day, but a large swell caused organisers to change the location to Bermagui because of its relative safety.
"Horseshoe Bay is probably the safest beach on the South Coast," Mr Holy said.
"When we left it was quite calm, but when we came back the tide was out, so there was a bit of a shore dump, and that's what has thrown them up against the beach.
"We all are just praying for her and [hope that she] can make a 100 per cent recovery."
Community digs deep
Two weeks on, Andric said her condition was improving, but she has been told she may have to remain in hospital for months.
"I'm in pain, but it's tolerable," she said.
"I'm lucky to be alive — I'm lucky that boat didn't snap my neck."
Last week, a GoFundMe page set up to support Andric raised more than $30,000 in two days.
The figure is now approaching $40,000.
The money will help her to modify her Bega home to aid her recovery when she can eventually return to the coast.
Andric said she was overwhelmed by the support.
"It hasn't just been the money," she said.
"It's the phone calls of support, the messages — it's what is keeping my spirits up, it's what's keeping me going.
"I can't wait to get home and get better, because I can't wait to return all the love and care that I've received back to the community."
