All pics: Swilly
Free surfing aficionado Asher Pacey has packed up his Gold Coast based troubles (which are non-exsistent) to join photographer Simon Williams on a sabbatical to P–Pass. This glorious right-hand-reef pass in Pohnpei Micronesia is to be home – not for a swell – not for a week – but for a whole month. Join Tracksmag.com as we live vicariously through Swilly’s lens and Asher’s words in The Asher Pacey P-Pass Files.
1 //
“It’s always a buzz to roll straight into swell on a surf adventure. We were fortunate enough to have clean consistent swells with beautifully tapered walls (and even the odd barrel) on day one. P-Pass has such an amazing wave shape at any size, but when around this size it’s extremely fun for general surfing purposes.”
2 // “Prior to setting off on this adventure I packed and reshuffled my bag’s many times as to try not exceed the baggage allowance – and fit in all my essentials for our time in Micronesia. Board bags can be awkward things to lug around at the best of times, and this time was no exception with two packed full. At the end of the day these are minor inconveniences when the pot-of-gold at the end of the rainbow is a tropical island with pristine waters and waves.”
3 // “This is the view from the boat in the channel. During the course of a long day in the water it is essential to paddle back to the boat to refuel, rehydrate with a cold coconut and reapply sunscreen. The hardest thing to do is relax when you keep seeing empty peelers like this coming through.”
4 // “Pohnpei is littered with text book island paradises. Its moments like this I think of friends and family joining me to share these simple pleasures in life.”
5 // “Coming here for an extended stay and slightly more relaxed baggage fees than we’re used to, I was able to bring an array of surf craft that I would not usually ride. I’m glad I did as it is healthy (and fun) to mix it up and get a greater understanding of of board design. The first few days saw consistent surf around the 3-4 ft mark which turned out to be fun on my 5’7″ single fin.”
6 // “As a surfer, one of the best feelings is pulling up to an empty line up and watching set waves funnel down the reef. Its usually accompanied by the overwhelming sense of not being able to get out there quick enough. Especially when it is as picturesque as this. Happy Days…“
7 // “After spending a few hours in search of a good feed of fresh fish for dinner, we stumbled across the ultimate water front dwelling. A young boy came out to great us with the ever present island style smile and wave. Accompanied by his dog, we assume he was in wait of his family with their daily harvest from the sea.”
– Asher
