Jack Freestone And The Crisp Feathers Of Winter, North Stradbroke, QLD

“It was (Mitch) Crewsy’s last day in Oz before he goes to the US for six months,” says photographer Andrew Shield, who fired off this Jack Freestone moment today at North Stradbroke, shortly after Jack’s return from South Africa following an early exit from the J-Bay Open. “Mitch and Jack went to Straddie at dawn, along with (Coach/Mate) Stacey Galbraith, and (Filmer/Mate) Mikey Mallalieu, wanting to make the most of Crewsy’s last day. It was four to six foot and offshore, and they surfed for about five hours and got about a dozen good barrels each, but you could tell they were hoping that the wind would finally go a bit more cross-shore and they could hit a few ramps.” Still… most’d settle for this.