P-Pass

P-Pass: Not so quiet on the western front

Since Christmas the island of Pohnpei, sitting out in the Western Pacific, has received a succession of strong storm swells. Allois Malfatani who runs Pohnpei Surf Club has been marvelling at the consistency. Although big swells are rare in that part of the world there's been plenty of six foot days at P-Pass for the locals and guests alike, and the maps are forecasting more to come.

P-Pass: Not so quiet on the western front

Since Christmas the island of Pohnpei, sitting out in the Western Pacific, has received a succession of strong storm swells. Allois Malfatani who runs Pohnpei Surf Club has been marvelling at the consistency. Although big swells are rare in that part of the world there's been plenty of six foot days at P-Pass for the locals and guests alike, and the maps are forecasting more to come.

Riding Kong's Donkey

Ain't nothing like that new board feeling. Not great news when you have two weeks of waves ahead of you. Then my mate Ryan 'Wanga' Waine, big-wave charger from the Central Coast of NSW, destroyed my third board in the boat by stepping on it and pushing his fins through my last board. I nursed the board off the bottom trying to feel my way into it but I think Kong had probably surfed so many tubes on the board that it knew what to do. I took care of this board like a newborn baby for the rest of my trip.

Riding Kong's Donkey

Ain't nothing like that new board feeling. Not great news when you have two weeks of waves ahead of you. Then my mate Ryan 'Wanga' Waine, big-wave charger from the Central Coast of NSW, destroyed my third board in the boat by stepping on it and pushing his fins through my last board. I nursed the board off the bottom trying to feel my way into it but I think Kong had probably surfed so many tubes on the board that it knew what to do. I took care of this board like a newborn baby for the rest of my trip.

P-Pass gets an A+

So far season 2010/11 is one that will go in the record books... El Nino, La Nina, we will never know what and why but the fact is that the surf has pumped nonstop for almost half of our season. Once it began it did not stop, for what seemed like a never-ending stream of swell under good winds and weather. Lots of places around the world are getting flooded with heavy rain or covered by snow.

P-Pass gets an A+

So far season 2010/11 is one that will go in the record books... El Nino, La Nina, we will never know what and why but the fact is that the surf has pumped nonstop for almost half of our season. Once it began it did not stop, for what seemed like a never-ending stream of swell under good winds and weather. Lots of places around the world are getting flooded with heavy rain or covered by snow.

Beyond P-Pass

There are 22 reef passes on the island of Pohnpei yet only one of them - P-Pass - is well-known in the surfing world. They chose the latter and it paid dividends.  All photos by Pohnpei Surf Club/Todd Caporal, except for the memory-jogging shot of Main Pass taken by Andrew Shield.//STUART NETTLE

Beyond P-Pass

There are 22 reef passes on the island of Pohnpei yet only one of them - P-Pass - is well-known in the surfing world. They chose the latter and it paid dividends.  All photos by Pohnpei Surf Club/Todd Caporal, except for the memory-jogging shot of Main Pass taken by Andrew Shield.//STUART NETTLE

First Swell of the Season

Although its only October, we're not too far away from the beginnings of the North Pacific swell season. There's already been some solid action in Hawaii, and last week delivered the first swell of the season to the Caroline Islands courtesy of Typhoon Malakas (what a great name for a weather system!).

First Swell of the Season

Although its only October, we're not too far away from the beginnings of the North Pacific swell season. There's already been some solid action in Hawaii, and last week delivered the first swell of the season to the Caroline Islands courtesy of Typhoon Malakas (what a great name for a weather system!).