A man grabbed what he believed to be human remains while surfing on the Gold Coast on Friday morning, sparking a large-scale air, land and sea search.

Gold Coast Water Police Senior Sergeant Gavin Peachey said the man made the discovery while swimming back to his board after riding a wave at Palm Beach, on the southern Gold Coast.

A search is underway after a body was seen in water on the Gold Coast. Credit:Chris Hyde

"As he's swimming back to his surfboard to recover his surfboard, in the waves he felt something on his leg," Senior Sergeant Peachey said.

"(He) reached down, grabbed it, pulled it to the surface and it was a human head.