Surfer Nathan Fletcher talks about leaping from a helicopter onto a 20 foot wave

Big wave surfer Nathan Fletcher has broken new ground for the sport by jumping out of a helicopter on to a 20 foot wave. On the Coast to launch the movie showing the epic stunt, Fletcher opens up about the death-defying stunt and what led him to chasing the biggest swells on earth.

MEET the man who jumped out of a helicopter on to a 20 foot wave.

Nathan Fletcher did what no other human has done when he launched himself out of the air, centimeters from the helicopters blades, on to a huge wave off the coast of Hawaii.

It was the stunt that underpinned the film Heavy Water, set to be screened tonight at BCC Cinemas in Coolangatta, a documentary that of the professional surfer who dances with death as he travels the world in search of “code red” swells.

“The movie shows bits and pieces of my life, the ups and downs and trials and errors,” Fletcher said.

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“Jumping out of the helicopter was a stunt coordinarted by (filmmaker) Michael (Oblowtiz) to make the ending of the documentary different, futuristic and dramatic.

“There are a lot of different elements in the movie of different characters and stories and different people cross referencing my story so it’s understandable and legitimate.

“The helicopter thing is more for the movie-goer, the action movie-lover.”

Not afraid to take it to the limit, Nathan Fletcher jumps out of a helicopter to catch Hawaiian waves. Please credit photo to Hank Foto

Fletcher, 44, grew up in Orange County, Los Angeles, where his love of surfing and skating was shared by those closest to him.

“My dad was a surfer, my grandfather, aunt, my brother was too. Going into big wave surfing was just an evolution,” Fletcher said.

“That is all part of it, having fun and so my whole deal was that I would surf if it was one foot, two foot, 20 feet, 10 feet. I just enjoy going in the water.

“When the internet and all that was created and surf forecasting you could start going to places around the world on the biggest and best days of the year. Pretty much just being a thrill seeker and then having the advantage of the internet led to what I have done.”

The film ‘Heavy Water’ will be shown nationally from June 26. For more information, visit www.heavywater.com.au