"Teahupoo went above and beyond expectations on Monday," Alex Gray explained. "The morning was pristine six- to 10-foot paddle conditions. Just as Surfline predicted, around 1 o'clock the waves went to a whole other level. Tow only, below-sea-level tube monsters. Straight up scary stuff." Here's Alain Riou, charging. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

"Many people, including myself, rode the biggest tubes of their lives on Monday," Gray continued. "I'd like to say thank you to Raimana and Dorian for the invite to the greatest place on earth. (And Kai Garcia for helping me get my boards.) I will never forget today -- or the surfers who tackled one of the heaviest swells of all time." Photo: Seth DeRoulet

Koa Rothman, wave of the day -- and the year's first XXL entry. We asked Pete Mel if Koa made the wave. He said, "Yes, he is still alive." Photo: Mike Jones/Azhiaziam; Video: Marc-Antoine Bouvant

In case anyone was asking, "where's Laird?" he answered that question on Monday by towing Koa into his bomb -- and by snagging some serious shacks as well. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

Here's said serious shack, complete with some hand-jive. Photo: Caca Neves

Nathan Fletcher negotiates crosstown traffic during the early morning paddle session. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

Manoa Drollet knows the insides of Teahupoo better than almost any man on the planet. Here he takes a very confident line in an impossible situation. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

Mark Visser knows an impossible situation when he sees one, and and was quick to hit the eject button on this one. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

Not much happening on the North Shore these days -- a bunch of Hawaiians made their way over for this series of swells. Kalani Chapman was another standout from the Islands. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

Hang one of these in your office. "Optimism." Alain Riou, again. Photo: Caca Neves

You may remember Alain Riou from the giant Mullaghmore sessions last winter. Here he is in a similar place -- with much warmer water. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

Ladies and gentlemen, the Incredible Headless Laurie Towner! (PS: ouch.) Photo: Seth DeRoulet

Towner, all smiles, and Aussie charger Dean Bowen. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

More on the way. Check Surfline's Tahiti forecast for details.

The morning session saw some absolutely flawless pits, as evidenced by Taumata Puhetini's posture here. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

Hopefully, the visiting Pipe chargers got a volume discount on Air Tahiti Nui. Mark Healey. Photo: tim-mckenna.com; video: Marc-Antoine Bouvant

Wade Goodall, eyes on the channel, pointed for the exit. Again: don't look back. And while we're at it, don't look up, either. Photo: Seth DeRoulet

That's Koa and Laird bottom right of the photo. Paddling Teahupoo at this size is still somewhere north of the unridden realm. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

To be fair, bodyboarders have been pushing the paddle realm at slabs for years. Still are. Photo: Caca Neves

GMac in deep on a beauty, going for the double POV angle. Photo: Caca Neves

Here's a classic example of where to be -- and where not to be --during a building swell at Teahupoo. Raimana stays low while Reef McIntosh dives deep. "Raimana rode the biggest wave of his life!" Alex Gray said. "That speaks volumes as he grew up very close to Chopes and has ridden every swell for the past two decades out there." Photo: tim-mckenna.com

Maui's Billy Kemper jumps for something like joy as his boat negotiates a wide set. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

After winning the Billabong XXL Awards last week, Keala Kennelly made her way to Tahiti to remind everyone why she won. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

The crowd was thick on Monday, but a few beauties went by unridden. "The most asked question was: is it as big as the Code Red swell?" Alex Gray said. "The answer: Yes." Photo: Caca Neves

More carnage. "This won't be a one and done swell for Tahiti either," said Surfline's Kevin Wallis. "Over the past couple days we've monitored a large, complex low pressure system evolve and take over most of the western and central South Pacific. Very solid swell will continue in French Polynesia for much of the next week and that series of swells will fan out across the Pacific through the middle to end of May." Photo: tim-mckenna.com

Perennial XXL winner Maya Gabeira back in familiar territory. Photo: tim-mckenna.com

If you don't occasionally eat shit, you're probably not trying hard enough. Photo: Seth DeRoulet