The wind was blowing
hard as we awoke and gazed out at the
inky blue ocean. Would the waves be
good, would the wind back off, would we
score perfect waves? It didn't seem to
matter. We pulled anchor from our
perfect lagoon location and motored
around the headland, and with at least
five spots to choose from narrowed it
down to two waves. "Looks really
fun," chirped Veronica Kay as we
watched 4 to 6 foot right handers peel
down a coral atoll point - the perfect
set for the lost island. The wind
dropped as the sun broke through the
misty tropical cloud cover. We climbed
into the tin runabout and sped towards
the break. Lisa was the first to open
the account with some really nice snaps.
Though she hadn't surfed for almost a
year her natural energy shined as she
surfed as well as ever. Megan had also
fine-tuned her front side power snaps. I
went for a few grab-rail pull-ins on the
inside. |
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All high on scoring waves, we paddled to
the beach and watched the perfect
line-up from under the palm trees. It
was a strange thing but a chill ran up
my spine as I realised we'd found
paradise on the very first day of our
surf trip.
Picture this: You're a pro surfer.
You've already been to South Africa,
France, Ireland, California and Hawaii
this year but right now you're in Bali,
sitting in an Internet Café, your only
link with your life back home. You're
checking your inbox and suddenly a new
message comes up. It's from Kristen, the
Roxy team manager. "Kate," she
says in the email, "we'd love you
to go on the Quiksilver Crossing in a
few weeks, what do you think?" What
do you think I was thinking? "Book
me in now!" I almost screamed into
the computer. There I was on a surf trip
in Indo, surfing fun playful waves for
10 days, thinking life couldn't get much
better, psyching up for the next few
contests, when I find out I've got
another adventure to squeeze in before I
have to put my competition head on. And
it wasn't just another surf trip, this
was two weeks on the Crossing!
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Just to fill you in, the Crossing is an
ongoing surf exploration and reef
research trip aboard the Indies Trader,
a 75-foot steel-hulled diving and survey
vessel. It travels the world within 21
degrees north and south of the Equator
looking for perfect unknown waves and
collecting data on the state of the
world's coral reefs. Every two weeks, a
handful of lucky surfers are invited to
join the boat, destination unknown. One
of the main aims of the Crossing is to
find new surf spots and avoid
overpopulated ones, so everyone on board
has to sign a confidentiality agreement
saying they won't reveal where they went
or where they surfed. That way the
newfound surf-spots remain a mystery.
And though it feels like a military
mission (everything's literally on a
"need to know basis"!), the
mystery adds to the excitement and
anticipation. Every trip is so
different, it's hard not to wonder
what's it going to be like for us? |
As I stepped off the plane, the air felt
hot and the water looked so aqua I felt
like I was inside a postcard. Caroline
Sarran was with me at the airport,
waiting for the transfer to meet the
others on the boat. She was super
excited, I could see it in her eyes, and
our combined energy seemed to lift the
beauty of our surroundings. As we headed
to the island where the boat was moored,
we seemed to notice every green tree and
beautiful bit of reef. It might sound
strange but we couldn't stop smiling. We
met up with Megan (Abubo), Veronica (VK)
and Lisa (Andersen), and caught up on
the latest gossip and stories on the way
out to the boat. There we met Martin
(Daly, the Crossing skipper), Horney
(Jeff Hornbaker, the American
photographer for our trip) and the rest
of the crew.
The best way I can explain the days of
surfing and life on the boat that
followed is to read you a couple of
excerpts from the Captain's Log - the
communal book that we filled in with
daily accounts of our experiences - from
VK and Lisa on day one: VK: This is the
best thing in the whole world, I am
halfway around the world with a few of
my most favorite people who just happen
to be some of the most talented surfers
in the world. It is really hot and
beautiful and we are completely fried
from surfing all day long. Life just
isn't too bad. LISA: Great to be back in
the water again. Haven't been surfing
that much before I came 'cause I had my
second baby two and a half months ago,
so it's great to be surfing great waves
again after time out - great to hang
with the girls too! |
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I know you hear this a lot from surfers
on boat trips but I honestly think this
was the best surf trip any of us had
ever been on. Mainly because no one had
expectations that were too high or too
low and we were just living by the
moment. It may seem a simple concept,
but often when you go on a trip like
this it's hard not to worry about
getting good photos for the sponsors who
paid for you to go; or you might not get
on well with everyone on the boat (being
in such close quarters for two weeks can
test even the closest friendships); or
you might just be really hanging to get
good waves because you don't often surf
in such great conditions. Whatever the
reason, whether it's a sponsored trip or
a regular surf trip, worrying that
things might not turn out perfect can
almost make a trip worse.
That is why I am now a firm believer
that the key to enjoying a trip is to
just be content with whatever comes.
That's my new theory anyway…just
realising how lucky you are just to be
there and often it makes things turn out
even better. As Megan wrote in the
Captain's Log one afternoon:
"Things are incredible on this
trip. Many things seem to go our way
without even trying. We scored
incredible surf today thinking it was
going to be flat. Got some sick ones and
finally got a few little shacks.
Everyone was ripping."
As everyday rolled on I thought I was
going to explode with energy. I don't
know if it was the great breakfasts -
usually fruit salad, yoghurt and granola
for me - or just the beauty all around
us. On day we were all sitting back on
the boat relaxing when it started
raining. Hot tropical rain fell from the
stormy sky and when the rain squalls
past, the sun lit the palm trees on the
nearby island and made them luminous.
Then there was the stoke of sharing so
many different waves (we moved to a new
location every day) with four great
surfer girls. Everyone was surfing on
the stoke of each other and there was so
much hooting and laughing - definitely
necessary ingredients to fun surf
sessions. On the morning of Day 3, we
peered out the portholes and saw more
waves and yet another new beautiful
island. Unfortunately my boards went
AWOL on the flight over and this time it
was VK's turn to be generous as she
offered me her 6'2". The swell had
a little size, so I had fun paddling
late into some sets! Lisa pulled into
some nice barrels, VK was charging and
Megan and Caroline were both ripping. It
was a hard wave to get used to as there
were two take off zones and the swell
always seemed to be changing direction,
but when you picked the right one it was
sooo much fun!
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The next session out there was the best
because everyone was a little used to
the peak and the wind really backed off.
Horney said I could take out TC's (Tom
Carroll's) 6'3". Stoked! I had a
little trouble slowing it down, it was
so fast, but it had such a good turning
response! I felt like I grew TC thighs
for a session!
Every day we'd get up for the early,
surf till breakfast, then go out for an
after-lunch session. VK and I even
sneaked out for a late, late afternoon
session one day and once we figured out
where to sit, the waves were so long we
stayed out until cook came and dragged
us away (so we didn't get lost in the
dark on the way back to the boat). |
You never know what to expect being in a
part of the world no one has ever surfed
before. You really just have to take
each day as it comes. We'd have great
waves, then the next day the swell would
drop so we'd go snorkeling or fishing
and help with the reef research; then
the waves would pick up again the day
after that. The fact that it can change
all the time keeps you from getting down
if the waves aren't good - because it
could just be epic tomorrow!
Martin said that the surf we had was as
good as anywhere - and that's saying
something because he's surfed and sailed
more places than anyone else alive (plus
he always manages to sneak a couple of
solo sessions in when everyone else is
eating or napping!).
One morning about halfway through the
trip, VK and I made a plan to get up for
dawn patrol, sneak across the island and
surf before anyone else, but I slept in,
It didn't matter though as we all got in
the water by 7.30 and there was no wind
and perfect rights peeling down the
point... it was so rippable! All the
girls surfed so well that day. Megan did
the sickest forehand gouge I have ever
seen her do, and VK kept getting great
barrels. Caroline was surfing for the
sole purpose of getting barreled and she
did just that. And Lisa, well she was
just busting her fins out more that I
have seen any girl do.
Finally our last day arrived. We surfed
the left early for a few hours, went
back out after breakfast, then went
diving in the afternoon with Horney and
Cook. We watched a great sunset as we
headed towards the airport.
The trip was coming to a close and this
day had been just as good as all the
others. Then we heard the news, via a
satellite call, of the tragic events in
New York. Here we were, living the
perfect life, when in an instant the
world's worst nightmare happened. It was
the saddest day any of us could remember
and such a contrast to the perfect world
we'd been experiencing. It made me
realise that we really have to work on
making the world understand the
simplicity, peace and beauty of things
like surfing.
LISA ANDERSEN Four-time World Champ and
Erica and Mason's Mum. Thoughts on the
Trip: For me not surfing for 11 months,
I was a little off. It was like learning
all over. Then after two days of
non-stop surfing it all started to come
back fairly quickly. I think every trip
is special to me. I care so much for my
friends it was so good to connect with
them again. It's fun to share waves,
sunsets, thoughts and a few beers with
people you can truly connect with. I am
back on as soon as I can.
MEGAN ABUBO Hawaiian young gun and WCT
surfer. Thoughts on the Trip: It has
been the experience of a lifetime. The
girls were surfing so well and everyone
was getting along so well. We were just
laughing and surfing, the food was good
and the place we went was so beautiful.
I think the greatest thing about this
trip was coming on it with no
expectation and we all learned something
new about each other. It really put all
the prejudices out the window. |
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KATE SKARRATT Aussie WCT surfer with the
mile-wide grin. Thoughts on the Trip:
This was the greatest trip of all time.
It was really good for my surfing, being
in the water so much and working on
different things. It was also so good to
surf with all the girls and watch them.
It was really motivating to surf
together and everyone got on so well and
was just living the dream. There's not
much more you could ask for. I felt full
of energy this trip, more than usual,
and I think the combination of
everyone's positive vibe and the
beautiful surroundings created that
energy.
VERONICA KAY Roxy team surfer and Model.
Thoughts on the Trip: This trip was
amazing since the day that Megan called
and asked if I was excited. Getting to
be with Lisa and go surfing with her was
a dream come true. Kate is a simple joy
that always makes you smile and is
always amped to go surfing. Caroline is
the classic French girl, she's just 16
but she's pretty spunky. This trip
really did a lot for my confidence and
desire because you see everybody ripping
and it makes you want to go harder. And
it was rad because these are the girls I
look up to and to be able to ask them
questions and get advice was a real
treat.
CAROLINE SARRAN French student and Roxy
surfer. Thought on the Trip: I think it
was the best trip I've ever had. Perfect
waves, Friends, wonderful islands and
barrels. I actually had the first barrel
of my whole life, so I was really
stoked. Great trip
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