Today was a midweek social event, in the sand dunes which lie opposite Sea World. From the road, you wouldn’t even know they were there, hidden behind a veil of vegetation.  It’s a small but complex area of knolls and depressions, flanked by the ocean. Apparently half of it was under water not long ago, and the organisers couldn’t finalise courses until yesterday, thanks to ongoing excavation work.  So kudos to them for getting everything sorted for us.

Although loose sand dunes don’t make for fast (or any) running, the navigation was straightforward due to the short length of most legs. It was technical enough to provide a challenge, requiring map contact.  The long legs along the beach were the hardest work, though you could see control 13 (the life saving tower) from hundreds of metres away!  I’m pleased to say I made no errors, and any slowness on my part was purely due to lack of fitness – it was a real workout for glutes and hammies. It was also hot.  Sitting under a shady tree in a pleasantly grassed park, chatting with various people while we picnicked, was a nice way to pass what remained of the morning.

Later in the day, after stumbling across the Skydeck Observation Tower on Google Maps, I decided it was worth a visit – I can’t resist a 360 degree view and a speedy lift.  In the heart of Surfers Paradise, it has views for up to 60 km on a clear day.  I could just make out Coolangatta to the south, and could clearly see The Broadwater, the Spit, and South Stradbroke Island to the north (our apartment was blocked by other tall buildings so I was unable to wave to Ilze and Pete).  Inland, you could see all the way to the mountains.  I had a birds eye view of the islands and canals that make up the playgrounds of the rich and semi-famous.  I could watch people learning to surf on the Surfers Paradise beach, almost directly below.

By late afternoon the clouds had gathered and the wind had picked up; it was getting too cool to be outside, and for the first time we have foregone watching dusk fall from the balcony. The yachties are happy though – there is enough wind for them to sail, and we can watch them glide gracefully past, from the kitchen window.