Gold Coast Aquatic Centre (North Pool)

Arrived into Brisbane from Auckland last night, collected the hire car (bit of hassle with the original nail they tried to give me - thanks Alamo!) then headed an hour east to the coast towards Surfers Paradise. I'll be back in Brisbane in a couple of days but for now, Gold Coast beach time.

You could swim a different pool every day of the year on the Gold Coast, and I'm pretty sure you still wouldn't cover them all. But when in Surfers Paradise, there really is one standout: the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.

Opening back in the 1960s, the pool received serious investment ahead of hosting the swimming and diving events for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Your bargain AU$7.20 gets you access to a 10 lane 50 m competition pool, a second 50 m eight lane pool, a 33 m wide diving pit and a further 25 m training pool, a 15 m indoor learner pool and various other poolside facilities.

Quick stop at Woolworths to buy water, liquorice and sunscreen (I really didn't need the liquorice!). One thing I forgot to pack for the trip: a mesh swim bag. I borrowed a waterproof duffle in NZ but now I'm huffing my laptop bag around stuffed with swim kit. Head into pool reception and they have a well stocked swim store; drop AU$30 on yet another Speedo mesh bag - to go with my other three at home!

From reception, poolside feels more like an island surrounded by swimming pools. It's Saturday morning and busy. The competition pool to the left - the North pool as they call it - has five public lanes open with a senior swim squad in the other five. Quick change, layer up some sunscreen, then jump in and share a lane — there are no lane speed indicators here, they're all fast. Pool water temp is perfect, cold and crisp. Under the bright Queensland sun the water is crystal clear and super clean. Ideally I'd be swimming early morning or evening out of the sun, but I'm short on time, have a lot to see and the weekend timetable is compressed.

The poolside PA is playing a great mix of alternative rock. I love a bit of Nirvana while swimming, however, the small black bird sat on poolside making a racket I could do without.

Run through a 1,200 m swim in the ten lane competition pool, then wander over to the far end of the other 50 m South pool which is currently set up as two 25 m pools.