Licence to surf

WITH dreams of riding Queensland's famous breaks, Cathy Finch discovers during her surf lesson on the Gold Coast that it's not good to ride backwards.

TODD, my suntanned surf instructor, has wayward sun-bleached blond hair and eyes the colour of the deep blue sea.

He knows he is Gold Coast-cute and just to prove it catches the next gentle wave standing on his head and laughing back at me. It may not be part of the Go-Ride-A-Wave learn-to-surf lesson, in the heart of Surfers Paradise, but it shows me what I, too, could do if I had surfed from the age of two.

There's no denying that surfing is in. There are English, Scottish, Danish and American accents within my group and all of their owners consider learning to surf a must-do while in Australia.

"It's the cool thing to do. Imagine the bragging rights when I get back home," says a young English girl, struggling with her oversized board.

I am guessing that back home, no one needs to hear about how many times we all fall off, get back on, and fall off again.

We are "the most dangerous things in the ocean", Todd says, because we don't know what we're doing.

No kidding. I start to fall over before we even get into the water.

Todd pretends he doesn't notice and continues with some handy hints on the beach. He tells us about our board (it's not good to ride it backwards), the ocean and groups of waves (or sets, if you want to speak the lingo). He suggests we don't hang our legs over the board, looking like a great big turtle, because: "Who eats turtles? Correct. Things with big teeth eat turtles."

And just when I think I've got away with my slight beach imperfections, he flashes his sparkling white smile in my direction and adds: "When you first head to the water with your board, you may want to walk backwards. Part of surfing is trying to look cool, so don't trip over your leg rope."

Exhilarated but exhausted

As it turns out, the leg rope was the least of my worries. By the end of my lesson I am exhilarated but exhausted. My nose feels like the inside of a soft-drink-maker and I have spent way more time under the water than on top of it.

But I am not alone. One Scottish gent in our group sports a thigh-sized bruise from his board. It nailed him while he somersaulted along the sandy ocean floor, his board riding on his head.

Ah yes, we think surfing makes us look cool. So cool that I need to limp back to my accommodation to lick my wounds.

The Towers of Chevron Renaissance, like Surfers Paradise itself, has surfed a long line of colourful waves. Known to many of us as the site of the Chevron Hotel, it was once a landmark bar and nightclub, always remembered for its carpeted ceilings. It was an exciting hub of an emerging international resort city.

Today, it still remains an exciting hub, but on an entirely new level. Three majestic towers dominate the Surfers skyline in a redefined level of luxury. Our immaculate three-bedroom apartment has mirrored rooms, making everything look twice as large; high ceilings; and golden sand-coloured accessories.

The views across the ocean and skyline are spectacular, and down on the fifth floor, the outdoor facilities are every family's dream.

Take the lift down a few more storeys and you are in the heart of a trendy shopping and eating precinct. Run into the supermarket for a few groceries to feed the kids poolside, or shower and dress stylishly to dine in the array of classy restaurants.

All the shopping and entertainment you can handle is also at your fingertips. And there's no better way to put it all into perspective than from the 77th floor of Q1 Observation Deck, where you can see all that the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Byron Bay (on a clear day) has to offer.

You can also admire the surfers – mere specks in the ocean below. Who knows, from way up here even I may have looked cool catching a Gold Coast wave.

But somehow I doubt it.