Was dolphin attack on porpoise?

Dolphin attack ... surfer John Wolfson / Picture: Jason Corroto Source: Supplied

WHAT'S that Flipper? You want me to get out of the way?

If only dolphins really could communicate just like the main marine mammal in the '60s television show Flipper — it might have saved bodyboarder John Wolfson a trip to the hospital yesterday with suspected broken ribs.

John Wolfson being airlifted to St George Hospital / Picture: Nine News Source: Channel 9

The 27-year-old Manly bodyboarder was paddling off Bawley Point about 20km north of Batemans Bay at about 9am when a bottlenose dolphin crashed into his left side, hitting him with enough force to shred his wetsuit and leaving him doubled up in pain.

John Wolfson receives medical attention after the attack / Picture: Nine News Source: Channel 9

Wolfson made it to shore but had to wait almost an hour in severe pain to be evacuated due to the spot's remote location and the fact a 4WD ambulance got bogged in the sand.

Witness and surf photographer Jason Corroto said the force of the collision shredded his mate's wettie.

Bottlenose dolphins are common along Australia's east coast and can weigh up to 650kg. They can swim in bursts of up to 35km/h. Source: AP

"He looked like he was wearing a rag," he said. "He could not move at all. He thought he had broken his ribs."

While his ribs turned out not to be broken, he was expected to remain at St George Hospital overnight.

John Wolfson in Sumatra, Indonesia in 2012. Source: News Corp Australia

Dr Peter Grant, a senior staff specialist in emergency medicine at the hospital, said that in 20 years on the job he had never seen such a case.

"I've dealt with just about every other sort of collision but I've never seen a person versus a dolphin," he said.

Dolphin attack ... John Wolfson. Source: News Corp Australia

Dolphins in the surf / Picture: Jason Corroto Source: News Corp Australia

Dr Grant, who spoke to the surfer following his admission to hospital, said the marine mammal hit him "at speed".

"He was surfing a reef break and was paddling out towards a wave and there was a playful pod of dolphins that came very close," he said.

"One of those dolphins, at speed, has come up from below and struck him in the left side of his abdomen very forcefully.

"His friends were able to help him to shore.

"He was in a lot of discomfort. It's hit him flush in the abdomen but he doesn't appear to have sustained any life-threatening injuries," Dr Grant said. "At the moment he is stable, awake and in good spirits."

Dolphin Research Australia spokeswoman Liz Hawkins said the dolphin may have suffered "some bruising".