Gerard Butler OK After Big-Wave Surfing Mishap

Hollywood hunk rescued while filming Of Men and Mavericks at deadly Northern California surfing spot

By Josh Grossberg Dec 20, 2011 4:40 PMTags
Gerard ButlerFame Pictures

So much for surfing glory.

While filming his upcoming surfing flick Of Men and Mavericks, Gerard Butler was hospitalized Sunday in Northern California after he was pulled under some big waves, necessitating his rescue.

Gnarly. The good news is the 300 star is OK.

Per the San Mateo County Times, Butler and his crew were shooting some scenes at Mavericks, a big-wave surfing spot just north of Half Moon Bay where the break conditions favor some of the best big-wave surfing in the world during the winter. But it's also notorious for causing some notable surfing deaths over the years as well.

At the time the wetsuit-clad actor went out with his board, the waves were reported to be breaking in the 10-12-foot range. However, as he and three competitive surfers, Greg Long, Zach Wormhoudt and Peter Mel, swam out and avoid getting pounded by some incoming waves, a much bigger and more fearsome set slammed into them.

Wormhoudt told the paper that Butler was sucked underwater while tethered to his board and held down for two waves.

Luckily, a safety patrolman on a Jet Ski reacted quickly and picked him up as he was being washed through some rocks. Once ashore, the 42-year-old thespian was taken by ambulance to nearby Stanford Medical Center where he was briefly held for observation and then released.

"It was probably the biggest set of the day," said the surfer. "It was intense for myself and I've been through a lot out there."

In other words, Butler's lucky he didn't drown, which is exactly what happened to competitive Hawaiian surfer Sion Milosky at the same location last March after a wave he was riding collapsed on top of him and he was held under.

Waves at Mavericks have been known to reach heights of up to 80 feet.

Butler reportedly does not have much surfing experience, but according to Wormhoudt, he wasn't in over his head.

"Everything he was doing was within reason," the surfer told the paper. "We took like four to five pretty big waves on the head. Basically, there's nothing you can do."

A rep for the actor has yet to comment on the incident.

Perhaps Gerard should consider starring in a remake of Point Break next.