Two weeks ago a deep red smudge appeared on forecast charts of the Western Pacific. A low spinning off the Kamchatka Peninsula was set to rapidly deepen and send lines of swell to every exposed coastline from Papua New Guinea to the US mainland. The Eddie Aikau Invitational was put on alert, the Red Bull Jaws event too. Hawaiian big wave surfers were watching the storm intently, as were mainland counterparts and the organisers of the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Challenge and the Mavericks Invitational. Everyone was buzzing on the arrival of the swell. It's first stop, however, would be the remote islands of Micronesia.

Allois Malfatani, owner of Pohnpei Surf Club, hadn't missed the storm. He never misses any swell and this was the best one in a year. "New swell and pumping P-Pass," was the title of his first excitable email and the photos bore proof of his claim. The storm's first strike was clean and perfect, not as big as what was to follow on the other side of the Pacific, but just the size Palikir Pass likes. A few crew from Australia, including David Scard from World Surfaris (check shot 3), made the trek and were glad they did.

All photos Richard Kotch / World Surfaris.