Fhelipe Davoodifar, 26, says he can thank the quick response of his rescuers and the kindness of a local kayak operator, Michael Hogg, who noticed the Sydney university student had left his lifejacket at home and pleaded with him to borrow another.

He also praised his psychology studies for helping him stay positive as he bobbed like a cork more than a kilometre off Port Stephens on Sunday night, hoping he would be rescued.

‘‘I was just trying to stay calm,’’ Mr Davoodifar, pictured, said.

‘‘In my head I knew I was going to get rescued at some point but it was just a matter of how long it would take.’’

Mr Davoodifar’s struggle for survival started after his sea kayak became waterlogged and he and close mate Robert Sarosi, both of Sydney and both experienced in deep water, had paddled to Boondelbah Island, about three kilometres outside the Port Stephens heads before turning to head home.

Currents had separated the pair and both were making their way back to Nelson Bay when Mr Davoodifar’s kayak capsized and the weight of the water meant it was impossible to drain it, flip it over and climb back on board.

With darkness approaching, Mr Davoodifar says he spent two hours trying to flip his kayak over as he floated around with the currents before deciding to climb aboard his stricken vessel and trying to wait it out.

He drank a can of Coke to lift his sugar and energy levels and watched as the Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter and a flotilla of boats, including those from water police and NSW Maritime, searched nearby after his friend reported him missing.

But the lack of moonlight and the noise of the boat engines meant he could only watch and hope they would find him in time.

‘‘I was screaming out to the police and trying as hard as I could to signal them and try and get them to come out to where I was but it was too loud for them to hear so there was no point in actually screaming too much,’’ he said.

He then made the harrowing decision to leave his kayak and swim towards the lights and possible rescue.

‘‘The lifejacket, when I left the boat, that’s what kept me alive I think,’’ he said.

‘‘I had already exerted heaps of energy trying to flip the boat a few times.

‘‘Without a lifejacket I would have gone down and sunk because I had no energy left.’’

Little did he know he was floating in an area known by locals, fishermen and authorities as Shark Alley, a known ‘‘highway’’ for large great white, tiger and bronze whaler sharks travelling up and down the coast.

There have been three major shark attacks in the past 11 years within two kilometres of where Mr Davoodifar was rescued.

‘‘Lucky he wasn’t a local, if he knew where he was then it may have scared him to death,’’ one local said.

Instead, Mr Davoodifar said he was able to keep calm and not think what could be lurking beneath.

‘‘I didn’t really think of the sharks at all. With my studies, I know how to block things out of my mind and try and keep calm,’’ he said.

‘‘I just had it in my mind that I was going to get rescued. It was about staying warm and trying to be prepared so I could get to them.

‘‘There is no use stressing about things that are out of your control.

‘‘You are just going to waste energy doing that stuff.’’

A NSW Maritime vessel came across him about 200metres off Tomaree headland about 9.30pm and dragged him to safety.

The pair yesterday visited their rescuers to thank them for saving Mr Davoodifar’s life.

‘‘About an hour and a half after I lost Robert, I saw the helicopters come,’’ he said.

‘‘Without them I would have been stranded there for I don’t know how long.’’

Mr Sarosi said although the pair were experienced open-ocean kayakers, they had learnt from their experience.

‘‘It doesn’t matter how flat or how safe it looks like. Even in the middle of the day. All it is about is to prepare.’’

The Marine area commander, Superintendent Mark Hutchings, praised the work of those involved in the search and issued a reminder about the importance of lifejackets.

‘‘These officers have been involved in several large-scale searches this week and once again they have worked professionally, diligently and tirelessly,’’ Mr Hutchings said.

‘‘This man is alive thanks to his lifejacket and the hard work of everyone involved in the search.

‘‘I cannot reiterate enough the importance of wearing lifejackets while participating in water sports.’’

Mr Sarosi and Mr Davoodifar were yesterday planning their next trip.