ON OCTOBER 10, 2009, AT APPROXIMATELY 5PM, operator1 AND SOME FRIENDS WERE OPERATING THEIR PWC'S IN THE SHALLOTTE INLET NEAR THE TOWN OF SHALLOTTE JUST OFF THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY.  ACCORDING TO OPERATOR1, THEY HAD INTENDED TO HEAD IN BECAUSE THE WEATHER LOOKED AS IF IT WAS GETTING READY OT GET BAD, BUT HIS FRIENDS TALKED HIM IN TO HEADING BACK OUT TO THE INLET TO JUMP THE WAVES.  AS HE WAS JUMPING A WAVE HE CAME DOWN ONTO ANOTHER WAVE AND HIS BODY (BUTTOCKS) SLAMMED DOWN HARD ONTO THE SEAT OF THE JET SKI.  HE SAID HE IMMEDIATELY FELT PAIN IN HIS BACK AND PROCEEDED TO SLOWLY MAKE HIS WAY BACK TO THE DOCK AT HIS HOME.  FROM THERE THE AMBULANCE WAS CALLED AND HE WAS TAKEN TO BRUNSWICK COMMUNITY HOSPITAL WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT HE HAD A COMPRESSION FRACTURE IN HIS L2 VERTEBRAE.  IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT ALCOHOL OR DRUGS PLAYED ANY ROLE IN THIS ACCIDENT.  PFD WAS WORN AND UTILIZED BY OPERATOR1. BASED UPON THE EVIDENCE IT APPEARS THAT THIS ACCIDENT IS THE RESULT OF OPERATOR INEXPERIENCE IN ROUGH WATER OR HAZARDOUS WATER CONDITIONS.
BRUNSWICK                     