Mens wetsuit cannot save from wave hold-downs

In October we wrote about the fact that Gerard Butler was donning a men’s wetsuit and had started filming for the movie Of Men and Mavericks in California.

We also stated how dangerous and unpredictable the Mavericks are, and this is something that the actor has now found out first hand.

A few days ago Butler had to be taken to hospital after becoming trapped under the water by a succession of waves while playing the part of wetsuit-wearing, surfing enthusiast Jay Moriarty.

One eyewitness, who is a surfer themself, said, “Butler was held down for a solid two-waves and took four or five more waves on the head. He was then washed through the rocks on the inside before he was finally able to be plucked out.

“Even on small days the inside at Maverick’s can push ten-foot plus and really tear you up.

“When they brought Butler in he had that 100-yard stare that surfers get after a two-wave hold [down] or near death experience.

“After almost 20 years at Mavericks I’ve seen a lot of it, but at least he was standing on his own two legs.”

Butler was taken to hospital where he was monitored overnight but it was later reported that he was not seriously injured.

The actor had been training for some months for this role, so it just goes to show that only professional surfers should take on the biggest waves and that although a good men’s wetsuit can save you from hypothermia it can’t save you from wave hold-down.