Colin Schildhauer cutting glass on a beautiful morning at Steamer Lane. T.Fox - Photo www.santacruzwaves.com

A surfer carves out a massive cutback on a wave he rides next to the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor jetty on Thursday. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)

A surfer kicks out off the back of a crashing overhead wave at Natural Bridges Thursday. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)

A surfer ducks under the falling lip of an overhead wave off Natural Bridges Thursday morning. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)

Sentinel reporter Stephen Baxter got out in the water with the GoPro camera to get this shot from a big surf weekend in Santa Cruz, Jan. 7, 2011.

A surfer looks for his exit as this middle peak wave face crashes in front of him. Dan Coyro/Sentinel

After running out of wave face going left on this middle peak bomb, Tuesday, a surfer dives off the back of the crashing wave. Dan Coyro/Sentinel

Tuesday's large swell out of the West claimed another surfboard at Steamer Lane.

A surfer has a close encounter with a trio of dolphins at Manresa Beach on Monday morning. With the hoopla surrounding the recent local stay of a pod of Humpback Whales it is easy to forget that the Santa Cruz County coastline of the Monterey Bay is filled with a number of other small, yet no less majestic marine mammals. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)

A small, but clean swell allows a family at Manresa State beach front row seats to watch surfers try their luck at the break in La Selva Beach on Monday. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)

A surfer paddles out to the small, yet consistent and clean swell coming in to Manresa State Beach on Monday morning. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)

Jimmy Herrick surfs in the finals of the locals trials at the O'Neill Coldwater Classic at Steamer Lane on Wednesday. Locals Randy Bonds and Matt Myers advanced from the trials to gain spots in the main event. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel

This photo was just submitted to our Pets on Parade photo contest, had to share it on the Photo Blog.

Extras wait on 38th Avenue to be called to paddle out to the filming on Friday.

Extras head down the steps at 38th Avenue to participate in the 'Of Men and Mavericks' filming of the reenacted Jay Moriarity memorial paddle out at Pleasure Point on Friday morning. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel

Chip Stanton and Katie Steidl of Santa Cruz and Max Tom of Pacifica wait in a forest of surf boards on 38th Avenue for their turn to be called to head out to the movie paddle out on Friday. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel

Gerard Butler watches preparations for the paddle out scene. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel

Scottish actor Gerard Butler talks with people on East Cliff Drive as the crew filming 'Of Men and Mavericks' prepares to shoot a reenactment of the Jay Moriarity memorial paddle out at Pleasure Point on Friday. Butler is playing the role of surfer Rick "Frosty" Henson, Moriarity's mentor. The surf movie is being directed Curtis Hanson, the man behind "L.A. Confidential" and "8 Mile".

Extras paddle out to the Monterey Bay 'Of Men and Mavericks' set on Friday. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel

A surfer grabs a wave off of 36th Avenue on Wednesday as a strong swell continues to provide winter-like conditions at many local breaks. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel

A surfer dives off his board head first into a wave on Thursday morning at Steamer Lane. (John Williams/Sentinel)

Two surfers collide as they try to ride the same wave on Thursday morning at Steamer Lane. (John Williams/Sentinel)

A long boarder falls off his board on Thursday morning at Steamer Lane. (John Williams/Sentinel)