When the MV Indies Trader left the port of Cairns in Australia of March 1999, the original intention was to explore the oceans of the South Pacific for a year. But because the results collected in that year surpassed all expectations, the organizers of "The Crossing" decided to extend the surf trip until 2005, making it the longest search for waves adventure history. The idea was born when Martin Daly, owner of the most famous vessels that operated in the Mentawai islands approached Quiksilver (back then one of its main clients in the Indonesian archipelago) a trip to places with potential surf, inaccessible by airplane, train or car, and therefore only accessible by boat. Quiksilver was interested by the idea, but wanted it to be more then simply a surf trip, and that it should become an opportunity to contribute to the defense of the environment in a significant way and also adding something positive to local cultures and their people in all places visited along its way. It was then that the connection with the Reef Check Program was made, an ambitious projected that studied and monitored the conditions on coral reefs sanctioned by the UN (United Nations). Since then, with another two years and a half to go until the end of its seven year journey, 14509 navigational hours have been computed, 66872 nautical miles have been completed (the equator line has 21638), 496892 liters of fuel has been used, 898800 liters of water has been drunk, 44940 meals have been served, 50 coral reef banks have been studied and 90 new surf breaks have been discovered. A very important detail: everybody that hops on board the Indies Trader has to sign a document stating that the locations visited and secret waves surfed will not be reveled.

Built in Brisbane, Australia in 1972, the Indies Trader was originally built for rescue operations of sunken ships in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. The current owner, Martin Daly, was one of the original diving crew of the boat and with time made enough money to buy it in 1990. Martin is an avid surfer and soon started to transport other surfers to new waves that he had discovered in the Mentawai Islands. In 1996 the demand for this type of service had grown so much that he had to buy another vessel, the Indies Trader II, in order to be able to cater for his clients and since 1998, the Indies Trader I started to service Quiksilver exclusively. Before its departure as the Crossing in 1999, the boat was specially equipped with the latest technology and a blue and red painting (a replica of a Polynesian Tattoo which simplifies a deep respect to the people of the ocean). The MV Indies Trader has an occupancy capacity for 13 people. The crew consists of one captain, a cook, and three helpers from Indonesia. Normally the other berths on the boat are for four surfers, a marine biologist, a photographer and a cinematographer. All these guests usually spend up to two weeks at a time on the boat. The last berth on the boat is usually reserved for a journalist, another photographer or a surfer. Over 300 people have visited the Indies Trader, in which 130 were surfers from 18 different countries.

Some of the surfers that have already participated in the CROSSING

The following Brazilians; Renan Rocha, Eraldo Gueiros, James Santos, Jihad Kodhr, the Australians; Tom Carroll, Gary Elkerton, Matt Hoy, Danny Wills, Mick Campbell, Jake Paterson, Wayne Lynch and Ross Clarke-Jones, the following Americans; Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen, Jeff Hakman, Peter Mel and Jack Johnson and the following Hawaiians; Shane Dorian, Titus Kinimake and Fred Patachia as well as the Tahitian Vetea David.

In the plans of the Brazilian passage, the "Crossing" planned to conduct a survey at the Atoll, an ecological sanctuary. Controlled by the Ibama, access to this Atoll is closed to the general public and the only ones allowed to visit on the coral island covered by sand and lush vegetation are biologists and surveyors who have obtained prior authorization and are accompanied by the appropriate local staff. The intention of "The Crossing" crew was to conduct a survey in the reefs of the Atoll for the Reef Check Program and surf, incase the rumors of an unknown spectacular surf break was located there. However it was only possible to conduct the survey, and even that meant that we had to deal with the responsible people for the Atoll for a long time before anything was approved. Careful that they would not permit for any interference with the local environment, they judged that surfing could be harmful for the environment, and sanctioned that surfing was extremely prohibited anywhere near the Atoll lost in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Our photographer was left with the option of showing us how James Santos enjoyed nature (Jihad Kodhr had already by then left the Indies Trader) and of the biologists that were conducting Reef Check. And, by a distance, register the waves that were coming in with good formation and curve. A paradise like this one deserves to be preserved, even if it means that we can only look at the waves and not be able to touch them.