'Shark dragged me like jet ski'

A 51-YEAR-OLD surfer has survived a close encounter with a large shark, which became tangled in his leg rope and dragged him like a "powerful jet ski" off the NSW north coast.

Surf shop operator John Morgan said he was about 300 metres offshore at the northern NSW tourist town of Byron Bay when he suddenly found he was being dragged out to sea.

"I had just come off a wave when I saw a large swirl of water," Mr Morgan told the Northern Star newspaper.

"I was then suddenly hauled backwards ... like I was riding behind a powerful jet ski."

Mr Morgan said he laid down on his longboard as the shark, which he estimated was about three metres long, dragged him about 50 metres.

He said he was "freaked" but waited for the shark to free itself, and just hoped it wouldn't return to attack him.

"The water was dirty, so I couldn't make out what type of shark it was, but I knew from the splashing white water that it was roughly eight to 10 foot," he said.

"I think the shark was as scared as I was.

"It totally freaked me out. I'm just glad it didn't turn around and bite me."

Mr Morgan said he paddled in quickly after the incident, which occurred about midday yesterday at Clarkes Beach.