10, JAN. 2026 SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.

 Saturday morning.

It had snowed overnight.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog walked to the beach.

It was a slow slippery walk.

The Esplanade.

Beach Buoy was mugged on the old Putting Green by three hungry Crows.

It was 7-56.

Team Muzzled Dog were heading south.

Beach Buoy was mugged once again, this time by beach Crows.

Luckily he had brought two tubs of seed.

A White Doodle Dog called Milo came to say hello.

Beach Buoy chatted to Team One Black Ear, they were heading back to the north.

Their borrowed dog is called Milo too.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog continued south.

He collected five cold but suitable stones.

They headed south between sea and snow.

The sea was quite rough.

The waves were breaking up to seven steps out into the bay.

Every now and then the sea would run.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog did too.

A large tree stump had washed up.

They headed for the low level route.

The low level route was much easier to walk in daylight.

Beach Buoy glanced back to the north.

The beach walkers were walking in the snow, not the sand.

Closer to Stubborn Dog Stack.

A Crow appeared.

Another Dog was suitably impressed.

As they were about to reach the small slope that lead to Stubborn Dog Stack,Beach Buoy could see a Crow landing on one of the giant pencils.

A few steps up the slope and there were Three Crows.

"Morning Mate."

It was 8-32.

He patted 

THE

stone.

He added  the five suitable stones.

Beach Buoy scattered some seeds for the waiting Crows.

"See you mate."

They headed back.

People walked the snow.

The Sun was trying to show.

The sea still ran.

A lady with two dogs headed north.

"Morning."

"Morning. Is the tide coming in?

I don't want to be stuck down there on my own."

Beach Buoy assured her that the tide was trying to head out. 

He added that every now and again it would run in.

The lady and her dogs headed towards the grey rocks.

Four ladies in a line headed south.

They headed to the grey rocks too.

Snowy Sunshine Shadows.

Back to the Car Park.

The Village Church Bells rang for 9 a.m. as they reached the north end of the dunes.

BEACH BUOY.

9, JAN. 2026. SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.

Friday morning.

Beach Buoy went to the beach alone. 

It was a new beach book kind of day.

He reached the beach at 6-55.

There was a chilly wind off the sea.

The tide was well in.

He collected five suitable stones by torch light.

It was dark enough for a torch and belly lamp.

The shapes of the clouds could still be seen in the dark sky.

Lines of car headlights travelled along the sea front.

Off to work

There was no one to the north,.

To the south Beach Buoy could see a red flashing light.

The type with a dog attached.

There was a hint of a reflective strip on the owner's coat.

They both headed up the big slope.

After all Billy two torches was heading south towards them.

Beach Buoy's Father had always told him to take two torches if you go on a dark beach.

Others will think that there are two of you.

Safer.

Father had died over 43 years ago, but there he was, two torches on the dark beach.

He climbed the small slope.

He scanned the dunes for monsters.

It was this dark...

Perhaps he was it?

"Morning Mate."

It was only 7-15.

He had walked quickly.

He patted

THE

stone

He added the five suitable stones.

"See you mate."

He headed back.

An unusual bright light out at sea seemed to point straight at him.

Waves broke up to six steps out to sea.

Beach Buoy turned off his lights.

He could see well enough now.

The man with a Labradoodle came from the north,

The dog barked and barked.

As Beach Buoy approached the access ramp, bullet-like hail blew in off the sea.

The Beachcombing Border Collie Couple set off on their walk.

Up on The Esplanade Beach Buoy had a quick chat with Mr.Gunn/Lunn.

Excellent Dog Alfie and Thursday Basil was there with him too.

(On a Friday!)

The man with a determined walking stick headed south in the hail.

It had to be a little more determined today.

BEACH BUOY.

8, JAN. 2026 SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.

 Thursday afternoon.

Beach Buoy walked to the beach alone.

He walked the sunny side of the streets.

Pavements in shadows were still slippy with ice.

He reached the beach at 1-50.

It was a pleasant, chilly and bright afternoon.

Two Metal Detectorists walked and talked.

A group stood by the water's edge.

A cropped scene from the previous photograph.

On land, the air was still.

Industrial smoke from the riverside rose straight up.

Beach Buoy was drawn to the wreck yet again.

The tide was well out.

A milky Sun looked down.

A single Crow with unusual grey patched on the underside of it's wings, circled the wreck before landing on the aft.

It looked out to sea.

A man with two large dogs headed north as Beach Buoy left the wreck behind.

The Village Church Bells rang for 2 p.m.

An Oyster Catcher trotted ahead of Beach Buoy like a tiny Dinosaur.

A large piece of sea pottery lay on the vast patches of shingle.

It looks to be the same design that Beach Buoy has kept previously.

Two of those pieces matched like a jigsaw despite being months and metres apart.

There seemed to be some recently broken edges on this sherd.

The underside.

He collected five suitable stones from the nearby shingle.

The Sun was already quite low in the sky.

Beach Buoy headed up the Big Slope.

Dune edges in shadow were still dusted with frost.

He paused to view the beach to the north.

He continued south along the "Easy" route.

"Afternoon Mate."

It was 2-23.

No Crow.

None of the afternoon shift of Crows had seemed to recognise him as a possible food source.

Beach Buoy patted 

THE

stone.

He added the five suitable stones.

He scattered some seed on the Crow's giant pencil and on the dune sand nearby.

One last look to the west.

Down the small slope to the low level route.

"See you mate."

Back to the North.

Beach Buoy rested up on the Esplanade Wall.

Someone else had been drawn to the wreck.

Click.

BEACH BUOY.