World Surfing Reserve: Gold Coast Part 1

The Gold Coast on Australias East Coast was the second World Surfing Reserve (WSR) within Australia. In 2010 Manly in Sydney was approved as the first WSR in Australia and just 5 years later the Gold Coast followed. Together with the WSR in Noosa which was the latest addition there are 3 World Surfing Reserves (WSR) in Australia alone.

In total there are 10 of these Reserves all over the world.

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What is a World Surfing Reserves?

World Surfing Reserves proactively identifies, designates and preserves outstanding waves, surf zones and surrounding environments around the world.

The programm was launched in 2009 by Save The Waves Coalition in cooperation with partners like National Surfing Reserves (NSR) and the International Surfing Association (ISA). The purpose of the program is to actively preserve wave breaks and their surrounding areas.

It takes a lot of time and effort to get a area like the one at the Gold Coast approved, but in 2012 it finally became true. Since that the area between Snapper Rocks in Coolangatta, up the coast until Burleigh Heads is officially a World Surfing Reserve

First Section: Snapper Rocks to Kirra Point also called the Superbank

Since the whole WSR covers 16km of coastline I divided it into 2 sections, Snapper Rocks to Kirra Point and Kirra Point to Burleigh Heads.

That first sections starts at Snapper Rocks one of the most consistent quality right hander waves in Australia.
Note: This is a experienced surfers only wave. Don´t go there if you´re a beginner or still learning to surf green, unbroken waves, as you will most likely get hurt.

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From here on it goes passed the Rainbow Bay Surf Club into the Rainbow Bay, another world class right hand point break.

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Rainbow Bay is then connected to next section called Greenmount which actually is my favourite section and the best place to watch the action in the water.

Greenmount starts in front of the Rainbow Bay Loookout from where spectators have the most awesome view. You can see as far as Snapper, see the surfers coming in from Rainbow Bay and going pass the Lookout...if the waves are good. :)

The Lookout is actually a boardwalk which leads you from the Rainbow Bay Beach to Coolangatta Beach on the other side.

Surfers walking back to the entry point at snappers

The first Lookout. There are several along the boardwalk

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When you have passed this Lookout you´re actually already going on to Coolangatta Beach where the fun ends...at least at days like this.

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If you go up the Hill to Pat Fagan Park you can see both sides, from Snapper to Greenmount and Greenmount all the way to Kirra Point.

Snapper, Rainbow Bay and the start of Greenmount

Greenmount

On to Coolangatta Beach

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Ok lets sum this up...there are 3 sections, Snapper Rocks, Rainbow Bay and Greenmount which are all 3 world class right hand point breaks. Depending on the season, the three can be connected as one (February-July) or separate point breaks (August-January). This is, why it is also called the Superbank.

It is every surfers dream to catch a wave which carries you from Snapper Rocks all the way past Greenmount into the bay of Coolangatta Beach. When this happens you can surf up to 2km, if your legs don´t get tired.

But when all the conditions are perfect for waves like this, there is absolute mayhem in the water and you can actually be happy if you catch any wave. It´s not a question if there will be a hundred surfers in the water it´s more the question how many hundred.

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What does not mean that it is impossible. In 2002 a local surfer took off at Snapper Rocks and surfed all the way to the Kirra Groyne at the end of Coolangatta Beach, a whopping 1,97km ride. I guess his legs felt like jelly after this.

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We are still not finished here the best part is still to come. From the Kirra Groyn on west you will have the chance to surf the absolut best wave in the world. On perfect days it produces the deepest and longest tube rides on this planet. It just recently happened during the Cyclone Uesi, see my previous Blogpost.

Unfortunately I do not have much photos of this spot, so make sure to watch the videos below.

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"The biggest sin in the world would be if I lost my love for the ocean."

-Laird Hamilton

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[//]:# (!steemitworldmap -28.165102 lat 153.543112 long World Surfing Reserve d3scr)