03x01 - Episode 1

[bunniefuu]

- [Female Voiceover] Blue Water Beach is one of those places

that sucks you right in.

Every surf is on a high.

Every job is blissed out.

Even the dogs think they're in heaven.

As for me, I guess I just can't imagine

anywhere else I'd rather be.

That's me doing my daily swim.

I have this thing where I have to swim

in order to clear my brain out.

Some people sing, some people watch DVDs.

Me? I swim.

Every day for the whole year I've been here,

I've come up out of the water

with one, single thought:

how lucky I am to be here.

Today's different, though.

Today, it's all about to finish.

And you want to know something?

I really don't know if I can handle it.

But, hey, I'm getting way ahead of myself here.

Let's rewind this thing before I give

everything away and spoil it all completely.

Now, the deal with this blog is that we have to go

all the way back to the start.

Sorry, I don't make the rules.

It's how it is, okay?

What I can tell you, though,

is that this year has been totally awesome.

Trust me, it rocked!

(upbeat music)

♪I think there's too much choice ♪

♪ And not enough time to find what's mine ♪

♪ Aiming for your head ♪

♪ Get down ♪

♪ You're the only one in town ♪

- If I'm completely honest, and let's face it,

honesty is my biggest fault,

sounds weird, I know,

but when you get to know me,

you'll get what I mean.

But my first day at Blue Water Beach

didn't go exactly as I'd imagined.

In fact, if I was scoring it out of ten,

I'd probably give it about minus three.

Thank you.

Thank you.

- You're welcome.

- See you later.

- Thanks.

- Bye.

- Bye.

(upbeat music)

(phone rings)

- [Man On Phone] This is the Solar Blue Academy.

Please leave your message after the tone.

(voicemail tone)

- Uh, yeah, hi. It's Cassie Cometti here.

I'm just calling to let you know that I've arrived

and I'm at the Blue Water Beach bus stop.

The beach is fabulous, by the way.

I'm so excited to be here.

Anyway, I guess I'll just hang here

until you come and collect me.

Thanks. Bye.

It's okay, Cassie.

They're busy people.

You can't expect them to sit by the phone

all day waiting for you to call.

Just relax.

- [Cassie Voiceover] At the same time as I was doing my best

not to feel panicky,

some serious stuff was about to go down

at Solar Blue.

Naturally, we didn't find out about

any of this until months later.

Just as well, I reckon.

Otherwise, I'd probably have done a bunk

and been on the next bus home to Mom.

- Mr. Li?

- Rebecca Sanderson?

- Bec. Unless you're my grandfather

or with the tax department.

- Afraid I don't qualify on either of those.

Angus. Angus Li.

Thanks very much for coming along, Bec.

- Not a problem.

You mentioned you were with Solar Blue, right?

- Uh, kind of, yes.

- Kind of?

- Look, it's a bit complicated.

Why don't we go up to the house?

We can talk much better there.

- Whoa.

What's all this?

When did Simmo start getting security conscious?

- He hasn't.

I mean, Mr. Simmonds isn't with

the academy anymore.

- You're kidding.

- Please, let's go up to the house.

I'll explain everything there.

(phone ringing)

- Come on, someone, answer!

- [Cassie Voiceover] Why is my entire family

technologically hopeless?

Mom has a mobile but never turns it on.

Nobody ever checks to see if

the answering machine is working.

For all they know, I could be trapped

under an avalanche in Antarctica.

- Hey, you right there?

- Sure, fine. Thanks.

- You don't look fine.

- I'm sorry?

- I don't know,

just looks like you've been waiting here awhile,

either that or you've been chucked out at home.

- Did I ask your opinion?

- No, but-

- My family, who you wouldn't know the first thing about,

would never throw a child out of home.

- Just trying to be helpful.

- Well, if I want your help,

I'll ask for it, got it?

- Loud and clear.

Have a nice day.

- Hey, skater boy!

Better check your backpack.

Half the load's about to drop off.

- Yeah, thanks.

- [Cassie Voiceover] See what I mean about

how honest I am?

A sensible person would have let him

skate off out of her life, but oh, no,

I have to do the right thing.

I knew it!

Now he thinks I want to be friends.

I've got to get out of here

before this gets out of hand.

(upbeat music)

- Yeah, hi, I'd like a vegetarian, please.

Small, thanks.

I'm at the Blue Water Beach bus stop.

- Okay. Sorry about the mess.

The painters will be back this afternoon to clean up.

- You've got a phone message.

- Oh. Nothing that can't wait.

Probably for the painters, anyway.

Now, I know those guys have left

some coffee around here somewhere.

I guess this place has a lot of memories for you, eh?

- Yep.

Sort of, I mean.

It's been a while, though.

- And since then, top of your class in

your sports admin course

and now doing an excellent job

helping run the athletics league.

- Done your homework.

- Well, it's my job.

- What is going on around here?

Why is the place wrapped up?

And what has happened to Simmo?

- I work for the Metsocedo Corporation.

Heard of them?

They're a large international company

with interests in many fields.

One of which is now surfing.

The only problem is,

we know nothing about the sport.

So we decided to buy a company

that was already established.

We looked at Solar Blue,

we liked what we saw,

and we made an offer.

Last week they accepted.

- So why didn't you keep Simmo?

He's been running the place for years.

He'd be perfect for you.

- Unfortunately, that wasn't possible.

And we decided we wanted somebody younger,

somebody more suited to the image we want to project.

- What does that mean?

- Well what that means, Bec Sanderson, is

I'm offering you a job.

- [Cassie] Hi.

- Small veg?

- Yeah, thank you.

- There's your change.

- Thanks.

Hey, listen.

Do you know where the Solar Blue Academy is?

- Sure.

- If I give you the change,

you reckon you can give me a lift there?

- No problem and keep the change.

(lively music)

- (chuckles)

- You seriously want me to run the academy?

- That's the idea.

- But why me?

- You've been through here as a competitor,

so you know what it's all about.

You know surfing and you're a very good administrator.

- How do you know that?

- We asked your boss.

- You talked to my boss?

- Well, he was very complimentary,

said that this was a great opportunity for you.

- Well, you guys really are thorough.

- We have to be.

We've invested a lot of money into this.

Here. Take this home and have a good look at it.

- What is it?

- Your contract.

I think you'll find it's a very good deal.

- Well, when do you want an answer?

- Well, we've got six teenagers

coming in tomorrow afternoon,

so how's first thing in the morning?

- Tomorrow?

- Bec, look, I know this is all quite sudden.

- Yeah, you could say that again.

- We've had to get everything together very quickly.

Look, it's a fantastic chance for you.

Please think about it.

Seriously.

(lighthearted guitar music)

- Are you sure this is the right place?

- Yeah. See, right there.

Solar Blue.

- Thank you so much.

I can't tell you how grateful I am.

- No worries.

Cassie, your pizza.

- Oh, yeah, right.

Thanks.

- Ciao.

- [Cassie Voiceover] Normally, I don't

expect people to make a fuss of me.

But after two days of getting here on a bus,

you'd reckon they'd provide a better welcome than this.

(phone ringing)

- What is going on here?

- I could never run this place on my own, you know?

Besides, the kids would need a full time,

experienced surfing coach.

- Absolutely.

We've shortlisted two guys,

both ex-pro, both very keen to take the job.

They're fronting for interviews the day after tomorrow.

- You've thought of everything, haven't you?

- Well, like I said, we had to work very fast.

- Look, I'll be up front.

It sounds like a fantastic opportunity,

but I could never accept.

- Why not?

- Simmo's been running the academy for years.

He became like a second father to some of us.

I could never step in knowing he'd been fired.

- Well, who said he was fired?

- Oh, I thought-

- No way, we wanted him to stay.

It was his choice to leave.

Thought it was time for a change.

- Really?

- Not only that, it was his recommendation

that you should take the job in the first place.

- What?

- Said that we'd have rocks in our heads

if we didn't hire you.

- Simmo said that?

- Now, any other questions?

- Not for the moment.

- Okay. Come on, then, I'll give you a lift.

- Oh, it's okay.

I'm in the car park.

- Hello?

- [Cassie Voiceover] I can't believe this.

Something's seriously wrong's happening here.

- Hello?

Anyone home?

Anyone there?

(knocks on glass)

- [Male] I think it's just us.

- What are you doing here?

- I was just about to ask you the same question, actually.

- You stay where you are.

Don't come any closer.

- What is your problem?

- Oh, I've seen the news, right?

I do read newspapers.

- Well, congratulations.

- Oh, so I know all about stalkers, okay?

- What? Stalkers?

- You take one more step and I'm calling triple zero.

- You have the wrong idea.

I'm here for Solar Blue.

- Oh, you are?

- Yes. I'm one of this year's intake.

- Oh, really, that's cool. So am I.

- Well, fine, then we can work this out together, then.

- Whoa, hold it.

How can you prove it?

- Why should I have to prove it?

I have just as much right to be here as you.

Come to think of it,

can you prove who you are?

- You should have a letter, right?

From Solar Blue?

- Right. And you?

- Well, I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

- (chuckles)

Fine.

Mine's in my pack out the front.

- Mine too.

- Well then, I'll lead the way, then, shall I?

- [Cassie Voiceover] Okay, I know what you're thinking.

I was overreacting, right?

But here I am in this strange place

where I'm supposed to spend the next year of my life

and it's all closed up

and the only person around here is this boy

that keeps popping up out of nowhere

and you've got to admit, it's kind of freaky.

- [Boy] Solar Blue folder, right?

See that's me, Adam Bridge,

Ocean Avenue, Cawarra Bay,

New South Wales, Australia, the Earth?

The solar system.

Satisfied?

- But how do I know that you're really him?

I mean you could have stolen that,

you could have forged it.

- Forged it?

Why would I do that?

- I don't know!

There's some seriously wacko people going around, right?

And I've seen them!

- Yeah, yeah, on TV and in the papers.

- Well, exactly.

- All right, well maybe this will do it for you.

- Cawarra bird observers?

You watch birds like fly around

and sit in trees and stuff?

- Yeah, you have a problem with that?

- No, no! I've just never met anyone

who actually watches birds.

That's really interesting.

- Thanks. I'll sleep a lot better tonight

knowing that you approve.

Okay, your turn.

- Sorry?

- I've proved who I am, so...

- Yeah, right.

Um, now, which one did I...

I put it down the bottom here

because Mom made me put it with my surf stuff.

She's always happy to be properly organized,

which I normally am, but no.

Mani, my litter sister, took the letter out to read,

she's such a sticky beak and she put it in...

I don't know where she put it.

- Don't worry about it.

I'll take your word for it.

- Thanks.

- What's your name, anyway?

- Oh, Cassie. Cassie Cometti,

from Point Paranaque.

- Where's that?

- Near Adelaide, it's sort of south.

You haven't been there?

- Can't say I have.

- It's cool.

Not many people have.

It's kind of out of the way. (chuckles)

- Right.

- So, here we are.

- Yeah. For what it's worth.

It's not much of a welcome, is it?

- Uh, what do you think we should do?

- For start, might as well get

our light baggage off the road.

What do you say?

- Good idea.

- [Adam] Okay, now pass the other on through.

- Okay.

- Don't worry about it.

- Got it?

- Yeah. (grunts) Got it.

And now the board.

- Okay. Careful, careful, careful!

- I am being careful!

- (laughs)

- (sighs) There you go.

- Thank you.

You didn't bring much.

- Just as well.

Doesn't look like there'll be much storage space

after all your stuff goes in.

- Oh, I've never been away from home before.

At least not for a whole year.

Mom thought I should be prepared.

- Yeah, well, look at it this way.

If the whole surfing thing doesn't work out,

then you can always open your own clothes store.

- Hah hah, it's not that bad.

- It's two o'clock.

What time do you reckon all the other guys

are going to get here?

- Soon, I hope.

It's a bit freaky being on our own.

- What do you say to a surf?

- What? Now?

- Yeah, I mean, we got to fill in the time somehow

and there's some decent looking sets coming through.

Come on, we might as well get a jump on our competition.

- Okay. You're on.

(giggling and laughing)

♪When you want to escape tomorrow today ♪

♪ Pack it up ♪

♪ Send it back and sent it away ♪

♪ Help! Help! ♪

♪ Someone help ♪

♪ I've been living this way ♪

♪ Watch the drop and please don't stay ♪

♪ And we're back from outer states ♪

♪ Pack it up ♪

♪ Send it back and send it away ♪

♪ Help! Help! ♪

♪ Sorry, help, I'm living this way ♪

♪ Buck the charge and please don't stay ♪

♪ Come on ♪

- You're pretty good!

You pulled some good moves out there.

- You're not too shabby yourself.

Where'd you learn?

- My dad taught me.

Me and my three sisters have all

had boards since we could walk.

You?

- Accidentally, actually.

Everyone else was doing it,

so I started doing it too.

Then I got hooked.

Haven't missed a day in about five years.

- [Cassie Voiceover] I don't know how he

could have been so suss about it.

The more I got to know him,

the more I could see he was a really nice guy.

And he was one heck of a surfer.

I just hoped all the others would be as nice too.

That's if they ever turned up, of course.

- Oh, man, I am seriously hungry.

We've got to figure out a way to get some food.

- Well, I've got a cold pizza

and I don't mind to share it.

- (laughs) I don't think I'm quite that hungry.

- Come on, where's your-

- Those bags up there yours?

You want to explain what they're doing there?

And why you're both trespassing?

And why you've broken through a fence

with signs clearly telling you to keep out.

- We didn't break in!

- A neighbor witnessed you do it.

And I just saw you do the same thing again!

- It's not what you think!

- We can explain everything, I swear.

- [Cassie Voiceover] All my life, I've been the good girl

who never caused trouble.

I made my bed.

My homework was always on time.

I never even jaywalked.

Suddenly, I'm this criminal trespasser

being grouped by the cops.

Mom is going to k*ll me.

♪ Oh the bluest skies contain no answers ♪

♪ Unlock no riddles or crossword clues ♪

♪ Just a lazy trail of jet plane vapors ♪

♪ Drifting into, the ebb and flow ♪

- Simmo, hey, it's Bec.

What do you mean, "Bec who?"

Quit giving me a hard time.

Well, listen, I know you're going overseas tomorrow

but there was something I really wanted to

talk to you about.

I hope that's okay.

♪ Tangled up in all these singing wires ♪

♪ A million signals lose their way ♪

♪ From the broken hearts and disconnected ♪

♪ The flush of flame ♪

♪ And the jack of trades ♪

- [Angus] Morning, Bec!

My wife bought me these sneakers in Italy!

She'd m*rder me if she saw what I was doing to them.

I hope your news will mean that I'm not

risking my life for nothing.

- (chuckles)

- Well?

Where do we stand?

- I spoke to my mom, my dad, my boss.

- All very sensible.

- And I also spoke to Simmo.

- Oh, and...

What did he say?

- Basically the same thing everybody else said.

- Which was?

- If I didn't take this job, he'd never speak to me again.

- So you'll do it?

- Looks like I have no choice.

- Congratulations, Bec.

You made the right choice, believe me.

- I just hope you've made the right choice.

If I mess this up-

- You won't.

Don't even think about it.

Now come on, we've got a lot to talk about.

I've organized some keys for you

and various forms to sign,

a bank account to-

Anything wrong, Bec?

- Filling my head with all of this admin stuff,

but you've told me nothing about

the most important thing of all.

- Which is?

- Who have we got this year?

The kids?

- Oh, yes, the kids.

Good point.

Please.

Solar Blue didn't hold selection trials this year.

Instead, Simmo invited the top juniors

from the major surf comps held around the country.

Now, the standout qualifier is a boy

called Charley Prince.

He's from Perth, over in the west.

Won just about every event he's ever entered.

His name might be Prince, but they call him "the King."

Hopefully his huge success hasn't gone to his head.

- Hi, Charley, great to meet you.

I hear you've been doing tremendously.

- Nothing compared with what I aim to do.

This will be a serious year, won't it?

- Serious?

- Yeah, full on training, proper skills development.

None of this kiddy stuff,

otherwise we'll be wasting each other's time.

- Why don't we give it a few weeks

and see how things pan out?

- Fine. I can live with that.

- From down south, near Lorn, we have Loren Power.

She's self-taught,

needs some coaching in technique apparently,

but Simmo thinks she has fantastic potential.

She also needs help to build her belief in herself.

- Such a thrill to be here, Bec.

I can't tell you how thrilled

and it's thrilling!

- Well, we're very happy to have you here.

- I just hope I can keep up with everyone else.

I read their CVs.

They're awesome.

- You'll be fine.

Just relax, enjoy it.

The rest will come.

- Thank you.

I just can't wait to get started.

- Next, we've got this kid from Caloundra.

Guy Spender.

This boy is a surfing machine.

In the water, he's very aggressive,

hates losing and takes no prisoners.

Out of the water, he's the complete reverse,

so laid back you'd think he's not even trying.

- You must be Guy, right?

- Hi. And you're Perri Lowe, right?

- No. I'm Bec Sanderson.

- Oh. Are you sure?

- Really sure.

I've been Bec Sanderson for the past years.

- Oh. Right.

Because I looked at the past dictates on the web

and I swear you were Perri.

- No, sorry to disappoint you, Guy.

- Oh, that's cool.

To have a year at this place,

I'd be happy to work with a gorilla.

Oh, sorry!

Not that I'm saying you're a gorilla.

- It's fine.

- I mean-

- I'm glad we've sorted that out.

- Right.

- From up near Coolam, we have one Bridget Sanchez.

Now she's won more comps than any other junior

in Australia this year.

Well, she's a classy surfer who's very

determined to make it to the top.

If attitude means anything,

then she might very well get there.

- I really want to thank you for this fantastic opportunity.

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.

- Don't thank me, Bridget.

You got here all on your own.

- I'm absolutely determined to make

every moment of every day count.

- Well, that's a very positive attitude.

- Any comments or criticisms,

please feel free to pass them on.

- Right, well I-

- Because I really want to learn as much as I can.

I mean, that's how you improve, right?

- Right.

- And finally, we have our own two wildcards.

- Wildcards?

- Simmo found them by accident

when he was a surfing a few out of the way beaches.

Adam Bridge and Cassie Cometti,

apparently neither of them had done much competition,

but he liked the look of them.

He said that taking them on would be risky,

but he thought that if they applied themselves,

the risk might just be worth it.

And I think you'll find it'll be a great year for all of us.

- Nice, yeah.

- So where are these two?

They should be here by now, shouldn't they?

- Yes. I'll give their parents a call to check.

- Excuse me, Bec?

- Yes, Loren?

- There's a policeman here.

- A policeman?

- Says he wants to speak to the person in charge.

- Hello, Bec.

- Sargent Leslie, what's going on?

- I got something that belongs to you.

- To me?

- I found these two yesterday.

They made their way here,

but there was no one here to meet them.

Fortunately, a neighbor reported them to us.

So I was able to find them some food

and a bed down at the station.

- These two spent day one in a local lockup.

- That's awesome.

- [Sargent Leslie] If this is any indication

about how Solar Blue looks after kids in its care,

it's pretty unimpressive.

- [Angus] Officer, I did send a message to all

the families asking the kids to

delay their arrival until today.

For some reason, obviously, these two didn't get it.

- [Sargent Leslie] Not an excuse.

Any repetition of this will seriously

jeopardize your license to run this place.

You got me?

- Absolutely.

Please be assured, this won't happen again.

- Good.

This wouldn't happen when Simmo was running things.

- Guys, why didn't you call?

- I did, I left a message on your answering machine.

- [Adam] Yeah, same here.

- Well, you're here safely now.

That's the main thing.

And we're very happy to see you.

Guys, maybe you could make these two feel welcome.

Angus, perhaps you and I ought to have

a little chat about communications.

- Yes, that sounds reasonable.

- [Charley] So sounds like you guys

have had excitement plus?

- Something like that.

- [Loren] We were beginning to wonder

if you were even coming.

- Well, we're sure here now.

Hi, I'm Cassie.

- I'm Loren.

- I'm Guy.

- Hi.

- Nice to meet you.

- I'm Charley.

- Nice to meet you too.

- I gotta say, this is one pretty cool way to arrive, dudes.

(laughing)

- [Cassie Voiceover] So that was my introduction

to life at Solar Blue.

Not exactly out the textbook, but hey,

I wasn't complaining.

(chatting indistinctly)

I knew there'd be much bigger hurdles

to jump in the year ahead.

I also knew that I was short of full

and hurt myself I few times.

But right at that moment,

I just couldn't wait to get started.

(busy music)