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This day at Teahupoo- Aug 27th 2011 during the Billabong Pro waiting period is what many are calling the biggest and gnarliest Teahupoo ever ridden. Chris Bryan was fortunate enough to be there working for Billabong on a day that will go down in the history of big wave surfing. The French Navy labeled this day a double code red prohibiting and threatening to arrest anyone that entered the water.

Kelly Slater described the day by saying “witnessing this was a draining feeling being terrified for other people’s lives all day long, it’s life or death. Letting go of that rope one time can change your life and not many people will ever experience that in their life.”

All images where shot by Chris Bryan using the Phantom HD Gold camera. To see more of Chris’ work check out his website. WWW.CHRISBRYANFILMS.COM
Music: Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun’ by M83.
by Chris Bryan

original post on MPORA

Gerard Butler is recovering after a surfing accident that took place Sunday afternoon on the set of the upcoming Fox 2000 movie “Of Men and Mavericks,” according to multiple reports.

The actor was filming a scene for his role as Jay Moriarty, a surfer who died in a free-diving accident at age 23.

Butler was hospitalized after being dragged over rocks and held underwater by two waves at Mavericks, a popular surfing destination in Northern California that was frequented by Moriarty.

Butler was rescued by coastal patrolmen and taken to Stanford Medical Center, where he was later released.

Butler, 42, was shaken up but not seriously injured.

Representatives at Alan Siegel Entertainment and CAA, which represent Butler, did not return TheWrap’s requests for comment by press time.

Representatives for Fox 2000 did not immediately return TheWrap’s requests for comment.

Butler had been surfing with pro surfers Peter Mel, Zach Wormhoudt and Greg Long, who are consulting on “Of Men and Mavericks.”

In January, a rookie surfer named Jacob Trette nearly died after being involved in a similar surfing accident at Mavericks. In 1994, Mark Foo, a veteran surfer, died while surfing there.

Jonny Weston and Elisabeth Shue also star “Of Men and Mavericks.” The movie is directed by Curtis Hanson (“The River Wild,” “8 Mile”).

“Of Men and Mavericks” is due in theaters October 26.

story via reuters.com

Garrett McNamara wasn’t planning to surf on 1 November. “I just didn’t really feel it,” he says. He agreed, however, that he would tow his British friend and fellow big wave surfer, Andrew Cotton, on his jetski.

What happened during that session has already entered surfing lore. Persuaded to take a wave, McNamara, 44, found himself on a freak mountain of water 90ft (30m) high, surfing one of the biggest waves ever ridden, probably the largest in Europe and the biggest recorded on film.

The video and photographs of Mc-Namara’s ride have been viewed by hundreds of thousands on the internet. They depict a tiny figure dropping down against a huge blue, hurtling backdrop.

It is all the more extraordinary because of the hazardous nature of the break, an hour north of Lisbon, where some of the world’s biggest waves collapse almost on the shoreline.

read more at guardian.co.uk