Noa Deane, spring fling at South Straddie, QLD

“Noa and I took a solo trek up South Straddie the other day to hunt some ramps,” says lensman Shane Fletcher. The team behind the Cheese short films are back in action since Noa had his arm cast removed (broken wrist, eek!). “First day of spring, howling northerlies,” continues Shane. “Noz, still in a wrist brace, doing jumps. It was a good day. We were the only ones up there. We hit it late morning when the winds got up so everyone had bailed. The walk up killed me (laughs). I carried my stupid Peli case about three kilometres and broke my back.”

And how was Noa surfing after a stint landlocked by injury? “I was a little worried when the session got going,” says Shane. “He was hucking pretty hard and no one was around. It was kinda solid and the paddle was crazy. Felt sharky too. We were miles up. Kinda dumb thinking about it now! When he came in he just goes ‘We back at it!’”

Stab could not be more thrilled to see this kid, who’s worth every letter of hype, back in the water. And just in time for spring! Ain’t it poetic? The cold frosts of winter and the imprisoning qualities of a broken limb are no more, and only sun shines in Noa’s world!