Earlier today, South African photographer, Alan van Gysen was at Skeleton Bay, Namibia where a bodyboarder almost drowned. "I literally just came tearing into the hotel from the frigid, pitch-black beach," he tells Stab following his recount of the near-tragedy. "What a long day, and oh so cold!" We will let AVG report the details from here:

"It was inevitable", says a local surfer just behind the growing crowd of concerned and helpful surfers. Not meant to be malicious or uncaring, but at a wave this heavy and long, with so many flocking towards the tube of their dreams, it's surprising there haven't been more incidents like this.

Moments before, shrouded in its characteristically eerie fog, Donkey Bay aka Skeleton Bay was picture perfect, 4-5ft and flawless. It had all the makings of an epic day. The excitement and froth from the many surfers who'd flown in for the swell was palpable. Every free-surfing pro and QS warrior – who ditched the Jordy Smith QS Pro in Cape Town – were preparing to get the waves of their life-with and without GoPro's strapped to their face. Then the whistles and shouts for help started...