I OFTEN GO ON ABOUT DAYS GONE BY
ABOUT MEMORIES
ABOUT MIDDLETON.
I WENT ON TO MIDDLETON BEACH MOST SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS WITH MY DAD AND DOG.
SOMEONE TOOK THE PICTURE BELOW WITHOUT US KNOWING AND GAVE IT TO MY FATHER LATER .
SO I ENDED UP WITH A SNAPSHOT OF HAPPY DAYS.
TO THE LEFT OF THE PHOTOGRAPH IS OUR BLACK DOG CALLED DUKE; NAMED AFTER JOHN WAYNE BY MY OLDER BROTHER.
TO THE RIGHT OF THE DUKE IS MY FATHER WALKING TOWARDS THE DOG.
HE HAD A STICK TO WALK WITH ON THE BEACH; IT WAS A BEACH FIND...AN OLD SECTION OF A CHIMNEY SWEEPS POLE WITH BRASS THREADS AT EACH END SO THAT IT COULD BE EXTENDED.
I AM TO THE RIGHT WITH HANDS BEHIND MY BACK IN A PONDERING STANCE.
A MOMENT IN TIME CAPTURED.
NOWADAYS THE SCENE HAS CHANGED.
IT WAS DECIDED TO WIDEN THE HARBOUR ENTRANCE SO THE JETTY TO THE RIGHT IS NO LONGER THERE. IT WAS KNOWN LOCALLY AS THE BANJO ; DUE TO IT'S SHAPE.
SO THIS SECTION OF BEACH NO LONGER EXISTS AS ONCE THE HARBOUR WAS WIDENED, IT WAS ALSO DREDGED.
THEY PLACED A NEW JETTY TO THE RIGHT BUT POINTING OUT TOWARDS SEATON CAREW RATHER THAN HARTLEPOOL HEADLAND ACROSS THE HARBOUR.
I SAY JETTY... IT IS MADE UP OF A COLLECTION OF INTERLOCKING MAN MADE SHAPES.
BEACH BUOY.
