PHOTOS: 'Of Men and Mavericks' Returns to Montara State Beach

On Monday, Iron Cross Productions set up base camp at the La Costanera restaurant parking lot in Montara to film "Of Men and Mavericks" at Montara State Beach, the Hollywood film about the life of young Santa Cruz surfer Jay Moriarity.

Starring Gerard Butler as Moriarity's mentor Rick Hesson and Jonny Weston as Moriarity himself, the film directed by Curtis Hanson shot on location last fall as far north as and as far south as on the coast. 

The crew has spent the bulk of its time shooting in the Half Moon Bay area and surroundings — from Pillar Point Harbor to the near Poplar Beach to — and, of course, at the Mavericks break itself less than a mile past outside Half Moon Bay.

Moriarity, who mastered the big waves at the Mavericks surf break near Half Moon Bay while just a teenager, died in 2001 at the age of 22 in a diving accident in the Maldives. Known for his positive spirit and outlook on life, he is remembered with fondness and respect among his peers today.

In 2010, the Half Moon Bay Surf Group named the Mavericks surfing contest after Moriarity for the 2010-2011 season as the .

Led by Mavericks veteran surfer , the group in charge of this year's contest, Mavericks Invitational LLC, renamed the 2011-2012 contest as the .