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For 3 years in a row now my wife and I headed off at 3.30am to Elephant Rock, Currumbin beach on the Gold Coast (where channel 7 Sunrise did their coverage from).
A truely beautiful place to reflect and celebrate Anzac Day. The sand under foot, the waves crashing and the most incredible atmosphere is something you just have to experience. It is very moving.
3 years ago I thought the crowd was huge perhaps 6000plus, last year I estimated it had nearly doubled and this year, well if it wasn't close on double last year I would be more than surprised.
So many people together and not one incident, it shows how well we can get along together.
Aside from the the moving service it was great to hear Aboriginal and women service personnel recognised for their contribution to the freedoms we have today.
As usual a young person is called upon to deliver their thoughts of Anzac Day and the young lady from grade 7 did our youth proud.
Currumbin RSL noted they had lost more service members this year than in any other year and I think their presidents comments when he said about the crowd "if you could see what I see from up here" indicates we don't take this day for granted as just another holiday. The older servicemen and women can see that Anzac Day will never be forgotten even long after they are gone.
Just as the Sun was about to break the horizon 14 surf boats from The Vikings SLSC sat cerimoniously off the beach to scatter the ashes of 14 of those men and women just out from the breaking waves.
Then as the Sun rose over the horizon to end the service John Williamson took the stage and sang True Blue.
My 22 year old son and a friend of his had not been to a morning service like this and I could see it definitely moved them.
Thank you to all who gave us the freedom we have in this beautiful country.
Lest we forget.
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