Les ‘Noro’ Norish was reportedly paddling back out after getting barrelled when he suffered a heart attack and passed away. He is the second surfer to die in the northwest in 2016, after a fifty-five-year-old man fatally struck the reef at Gnaraloo back in May.
Originally from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Mr Norish moved to Kalbarri in the early 90s and became an integral and much-loved member of the local surf community, where he was known affectionately as ‘Old Spice’. A lifelong surfer, he shaped and repaired boards for many surfers in the area and was known for his fond dedication to the early morning dawn session.
Local Kalbarri pro Ry Craike was one of many surfers to take to social media to pay tribute to the respected goofy-footer.
‘We lost a local legend of our area yesterday morning at Jakes, Les was always there for the dawny and got more barrelled than any other sixty-seven-year-old I’ve ever known. Les shaped me as well as a lot of the other lads from this town our first boards when we were micro groms and played a solid part in the surfers we turned out to be today. You passed away doing what you loved getting barrelled at the point!! Your spirit will live on mate!’ he posted on Instagram.
A group of Mr Norish’s friends from his native Sunshine Coast also gathered at Moffatt Beach Headland on Friday night to share some beers in memory of their mate.
Tracks would like to extend our dearest condolences to all Mr Norish’s friends and family and wish Old Spice luck on his journey to that great left-hand barrel in the sky.
Rest in Peace.
