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It’s been
said before, and it’ll be said
again: Surf exploration is a
disease that’s not easy to cure.
Once surf exploration gets under
your skin, it’s pretty hard to
shake. Today is a great example of
that.
Two people who were bitten many
years ago and are chronic
sufferers of this condition are
Tom Carroll and Peter Mel. They
both arrived on the Crossing today
with the usual energy and good
vibe that seems to follow these
two wherever they go. They are
here in St Louis specifically to
meet up with the latest addition
to the Quiksilver Crossing’s
arsenal – the Quiksilver
Crossing seaplane.
The use of seaplanes is nothing
new for the Quiksilver Crossing,
which has utilised seaplanes for
both transport and scouting
missions throughout the Pacific
and Indian Oceans during its five
years at sea. However, this latest
addition of a Grumman HU-16B
"Albatross" has been
made for the Quiksilver Crossing’s
current mission in North American
waters and the necessary safety
aspects involved with the area’s
recent history of violent weather.
While the Crossing takes safe
harbour on the banks of the
Mississippi and awaits some relief
from the deadly storms that have
devastated the East Coast of the
USA, the Quiksilver Crossing
seaplane will be continuing the
surf exploration duties in one of
the most un-surfer-friendly coasts
you could think of. Tom, Peter and
the seaplane will be leaving
tomorrow and heading straight into
the cold, and chasing some of the
massive swells that have been
generated by the recent Atlantic
storms.
This trip will be a milestone
for the Crossing and for surf
exploration at large. It will be
the first time a Grumman HU-16B
"Albatross" has ever
been used for serious surf
exploration. It will also mark the
furthest that the Quiksilver
Crossing has conducted surf
exploration from the equator since
its March 1999 launch. |