Late yesterday afternoon I cracked - I’d driven from the Sunshine Coast past (and kinda through - I wanted to avoid a toll bridge) Brisbane, down to the Gold Coast and through the insanity that is Surfers Paradise. I was more than a little stinging for a surf, but Huey would have none of it. I went out for a grovel anyway - half a foot onshore mush at the south end of Broadbeach (the massive beach that runs past Surfers), at a spot called Miami. Good to get wet, but no joy on the waves front.

Feeling at a loss, and slightly cold, I went for a walk/skate over the next headland, and found Burleigh Heads. No surf to speak of, but the place was jumping - Sunday sessions in full swing, from random families and people using the council bbqs along the beach-front, to a full drumming circle (hippies come out of the woodwork) and in another spot, a whole bunch of people fire-twirling (!). I ended up heading back to Miami to get the troopy, and spent the night in Burleigh, hoping the wind would back off overnight.

This morning the wind had indeed dropped off - nay, it actually was mildly offshore for a while! I went for a skate to check what the surf was doing, and snapped the photos above. I figured I’d let the pre-work and pre-school frothers get the early in, then I’d head out for second shift. Which would have worked out fine, but when I headed out there, thinking the grommets would have to head in soon, I found out it was some sort of student free day at the local schools. So I got my first taste of the Gold Coast crowds :) . Still, I managed a couple of turns on some waist-high grovelers - the new board is way fast and loose - and I definitely got a feel for the potential of this place. Not surprising, really, it is rated as one of Australias best right-handers after all.