THE QUIKSILVER CROSSING CHANGES TACK.....see latest Captains Log.





























Douglas Cockwell


04/03/01

20 minutes to go till we land in Singapore, Jason "Ribbo" and Gigs Celliers are seated next to me. They haven't stopped about waves and missions for 2001. Jason just wants to get out of the plane which has been about an hour after we took off from Johannesburg, Sth Africa.

I can't wait either. I just pray there are waves. I've seen the articles in mags and vids. Spent the last two nights before leaving surfing the Crossing site on the net.

For the past three months I've been living with a bunch of bodyboard friends, John Whitmores grandsons and friends. I work part time in a photographic lab in the arvo and evening. Also, for a top commercial photographer Guy Lambro.


"This is your Captain...
Prepare for landing in Singapore"
3am Sunday morning 04/03/01

05/03/01

Well it's the end of day two. Everybody is pretty surfed out. Arrived at spot one on the first day after the Captain arrived a bit late. Everyone was a bit stressed and planning what the hell we were going to do if it didn't arrive.

Ribbo just about flattened the local owner of the port café who claimed Jason still owed him more. But the boat had docked and we were outta there.

Spot One: Never been ridden right hander, wrapping around a point onto the reef that looked like it had heaps of potential. But it was 1-2ft glass and good to be in the water after the mission.

06/03/01

Capt. John had fired up the engines early and we were off to the next island to find hopefully another unridden spot. After three hours of chugging we arrived and began circumnavigating the island. Not long and another unridden right 3-5ft but pretty fat ran down the side of the island. One out of every ten waves would well up and barrel. Besides those the boy's were just carving off top into roundhouse cutties rebounding off the pushing ball of foam. Jake the snake seemed to be finding all the barrels as he slithered out one after another. Sick waves but I wasn't about to burn film on fat chunky swells. Eventually swam out late arvo with 50mm and shot some turns but we'll wait and see.

07/03/01

Up early, good breakfast as we circled the island for other breaks. Found none and ended up back at spot 2. Slightly bigger, but still fat. Conditions are good and with the sun beating down I set up on the roof and fired off two rolls. Breakfast was bacon & eggs. Sick mate! 3pm: Jake is out voted as we decide to return to spot 1 as swell is increasing. Arrived about 45 minutes before dark. At first not at all promising, but after 15 minutes things were looking good. Actually Capt. John said it was the best right setup he'd ever seen, as it glassed off and a couple of 3ft wrapped around the reef into the bay. We're hoping the swell will jack up more tomorrow and if so you will know and see if all was good. I say four rolls in the water covers all day.

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