A surfer has survived a night at sea after he was swept six kilometres off the coast from a beach near Wollongong, with only his board to keep him afloat.
The man, a Japanese tourist, was brought safely ashore on Friday morning after he drifted alongside a 300-metre long container ship and was spotted by crewmen.
![The man holds on to a life ring as he is pulled onto the MSC Damla.](/web/20170115031144im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/r/c/8/m/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtr7d7.png/1484345978022.jpg)
The 37-year-old man was picked up by Panama-registered ship the MSC Damla shortly after 9am, about 16 hours after he set out from Bulli Beach.
Sergeant Sean Netting from Port Kembla Water Police said the man appeared unfazed by his ordeal.
![He was given food and dry clothes after being found off the coast of Bulli Beach.](/web/20170115031144im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/r/c/8/r/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtr7d7.png/1484345978022.jpg)
"[MSC Damla] crew were able to lower the gangway he was able to paddle over and they basically just plucked him out of the water," he said. "We couldn't believe it.
"He's out there on a surfboard, adrift, at nighttime. The risk would be hypothermia from exposure to the elements, and drowning, should he have become separated from the board.
"Most people that get themselves in that situation die. He's just so lucky that someone on ship spotted him."
Mr Netting said the man was in "remarkably good spirits" and essentially had no health issues from drifting overnight.
![The man was pushed three nautical miles out to sea by a strong current.](/web/20170115031144im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/r/c/8/p/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtr7d7.png/1484345978022.jpg)
"He's a survivor," Mr Netting said.
Crew on the ship described the conditions as "choppy" when they spotted the man. They threw him a lifebuoy and brought him on board, where he was given food, dry clothes and wrapped in blankets as authorities were notified.
![Crews spotted the man just after 9am on Friday.](/web/20170115031144im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/r/c/8/q/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtr7d7.png/1484345978022.jpg)
It is understood there was not a search effort to locate the man, as he drifted off alone and no one raised the alarm that he was missing.
The man initially resisted offers of medical assistance but was transported by ambulance to Wollongong Hospital.
![Out to sea: The MSC Dalma container ship anchored 3 nautical miles off the coast of the Illawarra on Friday, after ...](/web/20170115031144im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/r/7/v/x/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtr7d7.png/1484345978022.jpg)
Inspector Norm Rees, the Illawarra operations manager for NSW Ambulance, said the man was "very, very lucky".
"He was transported [to hospital] as a precaution, because of the risk of exposure," Insp Rees said. "He said he couldn't paddle any more. He was just floating out there."
The man was released from hospital early on Friday afternoon.
He told rescuers he had set out surfing alone about 5pm on Thursday. The waves began to grow too big for him, so he paddled out behind the sets.
From there, the current took him around three nautical miles - or six kilometres - out to sea.
The MSC Damla had been anchored off the coast of Bulli for several days. It was met on Friday morning by the Port Kembla pilot vessel, which brought the man ashore.
In a statement on Friday, the managing director of MSC Australia Kevin Clarke said he was "extremely proud" of the ship's crew for the rescue and their "quick-thinking actions".
"This was, by all accounts, a dramatic rescue which appears to have enabled the man to walk free from his ordeal completely unscathed," he said.
"Naturally, our crew are always being observant of marine traffic, but it is exceptionally fortunate they were able to spot this man waving for help from his surf board."
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Illawarra Mercury