The dream sabbatical has hit a glitch for Stef Hilder. Well not really a glitch. More a razor sharp piece of coral that has sliced Stef’s foot into pieces.

This shocking photo shows exactly what he’s done and we’re sure you’ll all agree it’s not pretty. Best wishes for a speedy recovery from everyone at Boards!

If you can bring yourself to read more check out the story from Stef below:

“…Stupidly after derigging Sarah’s gear I decided to go for test 2, ‘Another Few Runs’, that cursed phrase! On my second run I ejected mid spock as the tail caught on my wave board. I was freestyling where everyone else was on the inside and landing backwards feet first my right foot landed straight on a rock/a bit of reef.

I tore a 2cm wide/3-4cm deep strip across the bottom of my foot. Thinking I could sail it off I went to waterstart back out to sea…then upon noticing what looked like a flap of fatty steak dangling around my foot, shark fear helped to rationalise my decision and I sailed back in!

So… 20min drive -> hospital -> hospital car park sleep -> 6hr drive laying in back -> hospital yesterday -> surgery today -> hospital tomorrow -> surgery Friday hopefully -> leave Saturday?!?! I hope so!!

Surgery today went ok, they are worried about infection, the flap won’t heal so they have cut it away, explored inside and checked the bones + tendons that you can see when it is open. They will close it hopefully just with stitches, but the words skin & graft have been mentioned. Either way think I will be off the water for a couple of months.

Right, hope you enjoy the pics, they are just a few from traveling around and then one of the injury – Warning: it is pretty graphic.

I will now hopefully be shortly resuming tourist/camera man duty out here!

Zoom in for the fatty bits on the foot pic!!”

This exert comes from the full story which is posted here on Stef’s blog.