Direction marine left on the Gold Coast (9)
I believe the answer is:
southport
'gold coast' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'direction marine left on' is the wordplay.
'direction' becomes 'south' (compass direction).
'marine left' becomes 'port' (left side of a ship - opposite of starboard. I am not sure about the 'marine' bit.).
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'south'+'port'='SOUTHPORT'
'the' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for southport that I've seen before include "Merseyside town" , "seaside resort" , "Lancashire resort" .)