A big wave surfer had a lucky escape after being beaten by a series of giant waves off Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal.<br /><br />Footage shows professional big wave surfer Toby Cunningham falling off his surfboard after successfully riding a huge wave during one of the biggest swells of the season on February 7.<br /><br />His teammate, Glyn Ovens, appears on a jet ski to take Cunningham to safety, however, another wave rolls in and impedes the surfer's attempts to reach the jet ski, engulfing him in the roiling surf.<br /><br />Cunningham then resurfaces as Ovens approaches him to attempt another rescue. At that point, Cunningham sees another huge wave rolling in and signals Ovens to abort the mission. <br /><br />Cunningham manages to keep calm under the water as the wave breaks followed by two others.<br /><br />After five waves pounding, the rescue team manages to reach Cunningham and take him safely to the beach.<br /><br />The filmer commented: ''The moments that followed the first wave were of great stress but Toby managed to stay calm.''<br /><br />Toby Cunningham, 41, is a professional surfer from Coronado, California, with 25 years of experience surfing big waves. <br /><br />He started surfing big waves when he was just 16 and won the XXL Biggest Paddle Award for paddling a 56ft wave in 2003.<br /><br />In the past 5 years, Cunningham has been spending winters in Nazaré. He says: ''Here in Nazaré it makes everything I've ever surfed in the past feel small. Getting a beat down in Nazaré can be an incredibly fun experience or a daunting experience. <br /><br />''It all depends on your mindset. I choose to enjoy doing out of control flips underwater where it is pitch black and incredibly loud. I absolutely love that I have no control over what is happening to me underwater and letting the ocean do whatever it pleases.''<br /><br />Praia do Norte, near the fishing village of Nazaré, is renowned for its powerful and dangerous waves and attracts surfers from around the world.
