Watch: Wade Goodall and Alex Gray in Micronesia

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Though we hear little about it anymore, Palikir Pass has had a season for the ages. Since late November the western Pacific has been fizzing with swell, a storm has blown through Pohnpei's swell window every week or so.

If you follow Allois Malfatani, owner of Pohnpei Surf Club, you'll notice his befuddlement as he films perfect P'Pass, then pans to the daily international flight descending to land a few kms up the reef at Kolonia, noting that the plane has no surfers on it. "No-one is coming," deadpans Allois.

Not that the few who are already in the lineup are upset by the lack of incoming surfers.

During one of Allois' updates he mentioned a great session where Wade Goodall was the only surfer in the water all day. The following clip from Channel Island Surfboards is from the same trip. Filmed in Super 8, which never deserves the superlative, call me a philistine, whatever, it was made by experimental filmmaker Tin Ojeda.

Comments

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Thursday, 14 Feb 2019 at 4:42pm

Would love to go, but always thought it'd be a mission from NZ.

Who's been, and how good is it?

scottishsponger's picture
scottishsponger's picture
scottishsponger Sunday, 17 Feb 2019 at 7:59am

I went late 2017 and it was probably the best trip I’ve ever done. It’s very expensive but worth it. Excellent wave, easy to surf, unspoiled, friendly, clean and safe country. Booked in again for late 2018, but Air Niugini crashed into the lagoon on Chuuk on the way to Pohnpei and lost a plane. That screwed up their schedules for a while as they had to put a smaller plane on that route and banned surfers from taking more than one board (considering I saw at least 10 snapped boards at P-pass the previous year I decided against a one board quiver and took them up on their offer to cancel the trip). Went to PNG instead.
I regret that decision every time I open Swellnet......

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 14 Feb 2019 at 5:00pm

Been twice. It's unreal and Allois is a champ.

You can fly via Air Niugini now. Check the routes from EnZed.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Thursday, 14 Feb 2019 at 5:32pm

whatever happened to the young lady that won the trip there?

has she been? did she get waves?

(apologies for low-brow comment on another thread)

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 14 Feb 2019 at 5:33pm

She's probably there about now, Zen.

I'll check, but from memory she was booked for late this season.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Thursday, 14 Feb 2019 at 5:45pm

hope she scores.

a report and pics would be nice.

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone Thursday, 14 Feb 2019 at 6:02pm

Just a real quick search on olde Google has return flights from Melbourne for $4k? :(

scroty's picture
scroty's picture
scroty Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 3:12pm

Yeah - around the world 2 or 3 times or one trip to P-Pass?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 3:19pm

...or about $1,200 (ex taxes) if you do a proper search.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 3:49pm

Do please tell more, good Sir!

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 3:25pm

First class all the way to P-Pass for Mr Bone!

I’ll go ya halves in a ticket

gazzee's picture
gazzee's picture
gazzee Thursday, 14 Feb 2019 at 8:02pm

that fucking noise could send you mental....

syril500's picture
syril500's picture
syril500 Thursday, 14 Feb 2019 at 8:41pm

Shot of a mate there now

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 2:57pm

And I wouldn't even say that's the best photo from his trip. He got some fair bombs captures on film.

What a trip!

Horas's picture
Horas's picture
Horas Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 3:24am

Classic.

Finntim's picture
Finntim's picture
Finntim Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 2:53pm

Is that jay davies @ 3:08? Would liked to have seen the BFG on a few, he rips. The waves look pretty accessible the travelling punter too.

Kham's picture
Kham's picture
Kham Saturday, 16 Feb 2019 at 8:51am

Yes, I thought I saw Jay Davies in the channel at the end of Alex Gray's first wave. Would love to see some footage of that tube pig out there. I met him a few years ago at Sumbawa, really nice guy.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 5:33pm

Just got around to watching the clip, and fuck me that was possibly the worst thing I’ve seen. I’m trying not to say nasty things this year but I’ve had two coopers and the truth is flowing! That was terrible and I reckon wade and Alex would be a bit embarrassed about it. The waves were good, but slow mo and shit music and “arty” filming made it a stinker

The MIDdleman.'s picture
The MIDdleman.'s picture
The MIDdleman. Saturday, 16 Feb 2019 at 9:32am

I'm 2 bifters in and I liked it., )

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 5:45pm

Yeah with you goofy and that guy on geetar needs to learn a few chords.

mr mick's picture
mr mick's picture
mr mick Friday, 15 Feb 2019 at 8:21pm

And this is it ! This is really IT!..... yeah IT is the stop button...fuck me surely could do better than THAT!

sfshralp's picture
sfshralp's picture
sfshralp Saturday, 16 Feb 2019 at 4:37pm

Alex and Wade must be WokeAF.

eddie-p's picture
eddie-p's picture
eddie-p Wednesday, 20 Feb 2019 at 9:17pm

The dog just chundered on the floor. Had no idea he was watching.