SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL. 2, FEB 2026.

 Monday morning.

Beach Buoy had parked up in Seaton Park.

He, Borrowed Dog and Another Dog crossed the road and the Esplanade.

They headed down the access ramp in front of the colourful but little used Beach Huts.

They reached the beach at 8-29.

Beach Buoy collected five suitable stones.

It was a morning of misty hints.

A hint of the Headland.

A hint of a Ship, heading for Port.

A hint of the Turbines turning unseen in the Bay.

The sea was till a little rough.

There was a light  chilly breeze from the south west.

The wreck today.

Sand had begun to reclaim it.

In contrast, the beach to the west looked more like a cobbled street.

A Beach stripped of sand by strong winds.

With a look to the north, Beach Buoy and the Dogs headed south.

It was cold fingers but two hoods were down.

It was good to feel the day.

They headed to the low level route.

A Gull passed by.

It seemed to be flying in slow motion as if passed by at almost headed height.

A Crow landed on a driftwood stump looking for seed.

Beach Buoy gave it directions.

He really did.

You know he did.

They climbed the smalls slope.

There was a Crow.

It sat waiting on the giant pencil.

9-07 a.m.

"Morning Mate."

Beach Buoy patted 

THE

stone.

He added the five that were suitable.

"You hungry mate?"

The Crowed sounded like it was.

Recent additions to Stubborn Dog Stack.

The Crow watched as Beach Buoy scattered a line of seeed.

"See you mate."

(Stubborn Dog.)

They returned to the beach below.

The man who once had four dogs passed by with three.

They exchanged distant waves that were almost a salute.

Two Ladies with Spaniels and Coffees headed south.

Beach Buoy searched the shingle as he headed back to the north.

He looked for sea alleys and bottle tops.

He found shards of tranquillity and sherds of peace.

They'll do.

BEACH BUOY.

Be happy.

No hate.

THE CABIN.

 Beach Buoy had been going to have a go at this for a while.

If you think you can't sing, sing.

If you think you can't draw, draw.

If you think that you can't do pottery, do pottery.

Don't let people put you down.

Never put yourself down.

Have a go at anything.

He had a go.

It is what it is.

The fact that it was actually made is more important than how it looks.

The Cabin had gone.

Its just the corner of a car park now.

The first half of the Cabin was a waorkshop.

Bench with a vice looking out into Middleton Bay.

Dad's and Beach Buoy's childhood bay.

The second half had a bench seat, a secret cupboard to hide his tools.

A Grey Enamel Gas Cooker, bought from an old lady in Horden in one of the numbered streets.

She was getting a new modern white one... bet she regretted it?

Beach Buoy knew that the thick piece of slate would come in handy...

and... if Ruby hadn't feel asleep on the laptop then it still wouldn't have been made.

BEACH BUOY.

Paul...

THE DAILY BEACH.

 

In association with 

Seaton Snooks Tearoom.

Chief Reporter 

BEACH BUOY.

1 FEB. 2026. SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.

 Sunday morning.

Low tide at 9-22 a.m.

Beach Buoy drove to the beach with Another Dog.

It was 7-39.

The Beachcombing Border Collie Couple headed down the access ramp just ahead of them .

Got to love people who do this.

🤗

Beach Buoy could see Team One Black Ear on the beach below.

He took a ball for Milo, their Borrowed Dog.

It was mild, slightly misty and damp.

Beach Buoy scattered some seed for Pushy Crows.

He collected five suitable stones.

The tide was well out.

Beach Buoy handed the ball to Team One Black Ear.

They walked and talked their way south.

The Bay's Wind Turbines.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog walked the low level route.

Up the small slope.

"Morning Mate."

Beach Buoy added the five suitable stones.

He patted 

THE

stone.

He took out stones that he had offered to place up at the stack.

He laid them out before spraying a few coats of varnish.

He sprayed some of The Brakesy stones too, to protect them.

They had a sit and a think as the varnish dried.

A Visitor arrived.

Breakfast time.

Beach Buoy placed the painted stones in and on the stack.

One of each on show, one hidden.

"See you mate."

Before leaving he scattered some seeds for the waiting Crow.

They headed back.

They walked north along the low level route.

Team Muzzled Dog were heading South up along the dune edge.

"Morning."

"Morning."

Back to the Village.

Rain began to fall.

Another shade of grey.

Back to the wreck.

People and Dogs.

Dogs and People.

The wreck.

It can't have moved  so it was possibly an optical illusion?

The wreck seemed to be laying at a different angle to the Espalnade.

Like the aft, the end near to the sea had rotated to the south.

Must be just an illusion?

BEACH BUOY.

31, JANUARY 2026. SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.

Saturday morning.

Low tide 8-30.

High tide 14-29.

Sunrise 7-56.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog walked to the beach.

As they headed to the sea, street lights were being switched off all around them.

Beach Buoy had been up since 4 a.m.

In summer months they would have just gone to the beach at can't sleep o'clock.

They reached the beach itself at 7-48.

He would have gone directly to the wreck but a couple were standing nearby, possibly waiting for the sunrise?

 The tide was well out.

There was a mild breeze from  the south.

Beach Buoy collected five suitable stones.

The 7 a.m. club were heading back to the north.

They chatted for a while.

A bit of a catch up.

They went their own ways.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog wandered over to Team One Black Ear, they were headed back home.

They chatted.

Team One Black Ear headed back towards the Village.

Milo the Borrowed Dog was still in the team.

Beach Buoy returned ten pieces of sea pottery to the beach as they headed south.

It was a mild, misty and muffled morning.

Muffled and Misty sometimes walk hand in hand.

They began to head towards the low level route.

Up ahead, people and dogs seemed to stand in the reflected glow of a Reluctant Sun.

It looked like a scene from a film.

Maybe the scene used on an advertising poster?

They walked the low level route.

"Morning Mate."

It was 8-28.

Another wonderful painted stone.

Brakesy.

Beach Buoy added five suitable stones.

He patted 

THE

stone.

The driftwood seat with an elevated view was soaked.

Beach Buoy stood watching the sea.

On the beach below a couple with a German Shepard walked the water's edge.

The was loving life as it squeaked a squeaky toy.

There was no Crow.

Beach Buoy scattered some seeds .

"See you mate."

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed down the small slope.

A Crow landed on the Grey Rocks just in front of them.

"The seeds up there mate." 

Beach Buoy pointed up to the stack.

They and the Crow went to the Stack.

The Crow landed on the Giant Pencil.

The bird rocked backwards and forwards as it made Crow noises.

Beach Buoy scattered a little more seed before returning to the low level route.

They crossed  some of the grey rocks before continuing their way south.

Up ahead, a man walked southwards too.

Lots of sand had gone.

Curves of wood and twists of rusting steel were on show for the first time in ages.

Driftwood marker up near the Tank Traps.

In the low Sun, Beach Buoy spotted a familiar silhouette heading north.

It was the very very wet Retriever.

"Hello there."

Beach Buoy held out a hand.

The dog was very very dry!

The owner arrived.

Beach Buoy asked if the dog was Boy or Girl.

"She's dry!"

We parked up there.

(North Gare. They hadn't been to the water yet.)

With that, the dry dog sat neck-deep in a deep rock pool.

"She's not dry now.

I'm on ten days off." added the dog's owner.

"I'm on 365 days off."

"Hope I get there."

They went their own way.

Beach Buoy had a mooch around Sand Martin Corner.

They returned to the north.

A young couple headed towards the village and a future.

A Jogger and his Dog trotted to the south.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog approached the Wreck.

The wreck today.

Work in progress but paused for the weekend.

The beach tractor removes the sand that had built up against the Esplanade Wall, thanks or no thanks to the strong wind.

BEACH BUOY.