Life's A Beach. The Driftwood Lectures...

Thursday, 29 January 2026

SEATON SNOOKS TEA ROOM OUT AND ABOUT CARD.

BUOY OH BUOY.

JANUARY 2026.

SEATON SANDS,

HARTLEPOOL.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL. 29, JANUARY 2026.

Thursday morning.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached the beach car park at around 7-20.

A black pick-up truck was parked nearby.

"Morning Geoff."

Geoff had one.

They headed to the beach.

Beach Buoy collected five suitable stones.

Lots to choose from after the recent storm.

Today there was just a light breeze from the south.

Low tide had been at 6-06 a.m.

Sunrise would be 7-59.

IT BEGAN WITH A 7....

Small steps.

As they walked south along the strand-line, Beach Buoy returned ten more sea pottery pieces to the beach from which they came.

The breeze was fresh but welcome.

Two hoods were down.

Cold hands were stuffed deep inside Orange pockets.

They walked the low level route.

"Morning Mate."

It was 7-47.

He added the five suitable stones.

Wonderful.

Brakesy had left another brilliant painted stone.

Beach Buoy put this one in his beach bag.

He would take it home to varnish it for protection before returning to the stack.

In error he seems to have bought the varnish that takes a couple of years to dry...

The Beachcombing Border Collie Couple searched the strand-line on the beach below.

Who knows, they may find some sea pottery?

He sat on the driftwood seat with an elevated view.

He had a think.

No Crow today.

He stood to go.

"See you mate."

The Beachcombers were heading back to the north.

Team One Black Ear were up near the dunes.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog returned north too.

They walked the last part with Team One Black Ear.

Team Muzzled Dog headed south.

The wreck was on show once more.

The man with pockets of sweets but no dog headed off to the Midget Gem Mines.

We'll follow him one day.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SNOOKS TEA ROOM OUT AND ABOUT CARD.

COUPLE ON THE SAND OUT OF SHOES BENCH.

A PLASTIC SUNFLOWER UP AT THE STACK.

6-58 SUNRISE ALMOST A 7 :-(

26 SEPTEMBER 2025.

SEATON SANDS
HARTLEPOOL.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SNOOKS TEA ROOM OUT AND ABOUT CARD.

FOOTPATH IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.

A DIFFERENT PLACE.

27 AUGUST 2025.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SNOOKS TEA ROOM OUT AND ABOUT CARD.

STANDING ON A DIFFERENT BEACH.

A DIFFERENT PLACE.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SNOOKS TEA ROOM OUT AND ABOUT CARD.

A GULL IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.

A DIFFERENT PLACE.

29, AUGUST 2025.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL 28, JAN. 2026..

Wednesday morning at 7-09.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed to the beach.

The air was cold and still.

Someone to the north had the brightest and most orange of coats.

Beach Buoy collected five suitable stones.

The half light was enough.

Beach Buoy had brought some sea pottery pieces.

He will begin to return them to the sea or for the Beachcombing Border Collie Couple to find.

He scattered near the strand line.

They would only end up in a skip when he's gone.

The sea still rumbled but it was much calmer than it had been recently.

He hadn't checked the tide times.

The sea seemed to be a canny way out.

They walked the low level route.

"Morning Mate."

It was 7-37.

He added the five suitable stones.

Hr patted

THE

stone.

He sat on the driftwood seat with an elevated view.

It was cold and wet.

It wasn't one of his better ideas.

He had a stand and a think.

No Crows today.

"See you Mate."

As he reached into his beach bag for the tub of seed, the Crow landed gently on one of the giant pencil posts.

The Crow was vocal as he waited for breakfast.

Beach Buoy scattered seed before leaving.

Team One Black Ear were up ahead.

Milo the Borrowed Dog was still in town.

They walked and talked their way north together.

They stopped to chat to the Sunderland Supporter.

They carried on to the north.Team Muzzled Dog were heading south.

They shared distant waves.

BEACH BUOY.

Tuesday, 27 January 2026

SEATON SNOOKS TEA ROOM OUT AND ABOUT CARD.

30 SEPTEMBER 2025.

THE DAY AFTER THEY BOTH HAD A GOOD SLEEP.

SEATON SANDS

HARTLEPOOL.

Beach Buoy.

27, JAN. 2026. SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.

Tuesday Afternoon.

It was still wild.

Beach Buoy went to the beach alone once more.

He parked in Seaton Park at 2-17.

The access ramp near the beach huts was as wild as this morning's

He headed to the steps.

They were almost as bad.

Most of the steps were buried in sand.

The beach tractor was fighting a losing battle as the driver tried to stop the wind-blown sand piling up against the Esplanade Wall.

Beach Buoy headed to the wreck.

Walking wet sand was the safer option.

Sea Pottery.

Maybe a Cuckoo?

Beach Buoy would take it to Stubborn Dog Stack.

A river of shifting sand headed to the Village and the Tractor Driver.

Beach Buoy stood on the low level route, watching the river flow.

"Afternoon Mate."

it was 3-02.

Beach Buoy patted

THE

stone.

He added the five that were suitable.

This morning's sheltered seed had gone.

He left more.

"See you mate."

The sea was wild.

The walk was a wind-assisted doddle.

The shifting sand had made more Tractor work.

It looked like the beach and the Esplanade would soon be level.

Up the steps and gone.

BEACH BUOY

27, JAN 2026. SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.

Another named storm had arrived.

Beach Buoy went to the beach alone.

It was wild.

It was 7 a.m.

The Esplanade was dusted with wind-blown sand.

The beach access ramp was just a sand storm.

Beach Buoy headed to the low wall at the southern end of the Esplanade.

It was still quite dark.

Darker than the photographs would suggest.

With a Green Flashing Light and a Torch he collected five suitable stones.

He headed to wet non-shifting sand as quickly as he could.

As well as sand, the strong wind carried rain.

It felt like an uphill battle.

He paused to catch his breath.

Looking to the north he could see the lights of dog walkers.

He walked the low level route.

It looked like the No.5 Buoy Base had gone.

Hopefully by the Port people and not the sea.

"Morning Mate."

It was 7-22.

He added the five suitable stones.

He patted

THE

stone.

No Crow this morning.

Not in that wind.Beach Buoy scattered some seeds in a sheltered spot.

"See you mate."

He walked the low level route once more.

He headed for the wet sand as quickly as he could.

Dog walkers were to the north.

Beach Buoy didn't recognise their silhouettes.

The water's edge.

He was striding back to the car park without even trying.

Each raised foot for a step was pushed another half step by the strong wind.

It was wonderful.

Two hoods were up.

It was raining but wonderful.

He felt like he could walk for miles.

One of those days when a warm fluffy towel would be welcome at the end of the walk.

He headed to the car park.

He had parked up out of the line of fire.

The beach seemed to walk with him.

The ramp was still a no go zone.

A bit blowy is the technical term.

BEACH BUOY.