A local swimmer was lucky not to drown in hazardous surf conditions at Nelson Bay yesterday.
The man in his 50’s had been trying to swim out to a boat from the shore when he got caught in a rip.
After struggling, he was pulled from the water semi-conscious by Port Stephens Marine Rescue.
Paramedics treated him at the scene before the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called in to airlift the man to the John Hunter Hospital.
The Rescue service says he was in a stable condition.