The way it rolls off the tongue the term ‘Free Surfer’ makes it sound like an easy gig. One pictures a life bereft of accountability to a boss or for that matter the rigid time-constraints of a contest heat. Instead of a daily grind it’s all about long sessions in the water and slow-drifting through the moments in between, pausing briefly to make travel plans for the next exotic location. One can forget that in order to perpetuate their bohemian, barrel-riding existence Free Surfers have to set a high bar. You must constantly find new and innovative ways to impress a surfing public that is over-saturated with dazzling imagery if you want to cultivate a following, and convince sponsors of your worth. Over the last decade Noa Deane (pictured) has proven himself to be a master of the Free Surfing art.
If Noa is not hovering above the lip in a steezy pose, he’s hurtling through cavernous, green-lit pits like this one; showcasing a dynamic, high- risk act laced with a compelling mix of flair and nonchalance. So what is a Free Surfer’s job? Well, while we navigate the hectic and humdrum elements of everyday life, Noa is out there on the fringes, reminding us how high and how deep we can go, if we really try.
