SEATON SANDS 22 DEC 2018.

It was around 7-30 am when they left the house.
They travelled the same old route to the Beach.
Past the triangular traffic island at the end of the road, the one with two Seagulls on, stomping on the ground as they always seemed to do. Were they pretending to be rain or perhaps moles? Beach Buoy had even seen them on a rainy day, stomping away.
He had never seen them dressed in mole costumes.
Not yet anyway.
The Golf Club flag still drooped at half mast; still mourning.
It was all a bit Groundhog Day.
Beach Buoy hadn't done the Piano lessons or Ice Sculptures thing just yet.
 The places and scenes may be the same, but every Beach trip is different.
In the Car Park there were two cars.
One was parked in the centre of the dark car park, sort of in no man's land.
The other was parked in Beach Buoy's chosen parking bay.
"Never mind." thought  Beach Buoy as he parked along the line of parking bays facing the sea.
Beach Buoy glanced towards the car and could see the occupant's face, it was lit by a mobile phone screen that he was blankly staring into.
Perhaps he was texting. "BEAT HIM TO THAT PARKING SPOT. LOL".

Feet hit sand at 7-40 am.
Beach Buoy was wearing an Orange Coat, he had had it years.
It was either too big years ago or Beach Buoy hadn't ballooned as much as he had thought; it was still a comfy fit.
The horizon to the South was Orange too; a duller Orange.

It was just as he stepped on the sand, that a dream from last night returned to his head.
He was in Dublin.
He went into a pub to get a real Irish Guiness.
Outside the Pub was a Beach with a Bay with large rocky mounds in the just offshore.
A "Water" skier was getting towed across the sky by a man on a bicycle. He tried to photograph it.
Ah... it was a dream.......

Back to reality...
The tide was way beyond the wreck and the 7 am club were heading back South.
There was a very slight Breeze coming off the Dunes; a still morning.
As the 7am club's distant murmurs became closer chatter Mari the large Poodle spotted Beach Buoy. She headed directly for him leaving a long straight line of paw prints in the soft wet sand behind her.
CONTACT!
She bounded into her beach friend  and received a warm welcome as always; it sort of made his day. The Dog was wearing an illuminated ring around her neck. It glowed a Silvery White and looked all the world like a fallen Halo. Beach Buoy gave the Dog the required neck scratch and the Dog's sandy back paw padded up and down on the wet sand to show that he had found THE spot.
All the other dogs came over to see what the fuss was all about. They were all friendly. As were the 7am club; they all shouted "Morning!. as if they were one.
Beach Buoy returned the welcome, as the club went North. He threw a ball, dropped by one of the club's dogs in that direction and the meeting was called to a close.
The chattering turned to murmurs and the murmurs turned to silence.

The Church Bells struck 8 across the still Bay.
"Low tide in 53 minutes." thought Beach Buoy; it was already way out past the wreck.
The Sea still had an incoming motion as it filled the dips and delves of the uneven Beach. It was as if it was filmed in slow motion. 
Out in the Bay the Sea Serpent twisted and turned near its marker.
For once Stubborn Dog took the lead!
He was keen to visit all of the marker spots left by the dogs of the 7 am club; they were walking in their footsteps but in reverse.
It  didn't last long and Stubborn Dog reverted to type. A lead a mile long would be 6 inches too short for this Dog.

Beach Buoy had gone along the Beach about two thirds of the length of the Grey Rocks and spotted a promising line of shingle. He crossed over the rocks and continued South, as far as the North Gare Pier. Leaning as he walked the slipping,sloping shingle to correct the angle of stance.

The light to the South was amazing as the walk progressed.
Thoughts turned to his Dad.
Beach Buoy found it ironic, the fact that he had died on the very day the light situation starts to improve. It was the shortest day yesterday. 
Beach Buoy had always hoped to go around early October, just before the clocks went back to save one more miserable winter and count the time he did get as a summer gained.... time will tell.

Large Cotton Wool clouds hung over the River.
(Large Cotton Wool clouds dipped in Orange juice)

Some of the Beach was just waking up!
"YAWN."

Beach Buoy headed back towards the Village of Seaton Carew. It was bathed in Sunlight.....again.
It was bang on low tide. Rarely seen rocks popped their heads out of the water  like inquisitive but cautious Seals, staying just offshore waiting for the beach to be free of humans and their dogs.

Behind them, the Barriers on the North Gare Pier looked like the Gates to Hell; odd really, as it was Heavenly.

Did Stubborn Dog have a Halo of his own? He stuck his tongue out for the camera.

"This is why I don't have a sleep in." thought Beach Buoy as he looked back. The Sunlight was so very welcome after the Dark early nights. He paused to let the sunlight glow on his face for a few minutes.

The tide was so low it looked like the Sea Serpent was within touching distance!

The tide had turned and the Sea had changed up a couple of gears as it reclaimed the low points on the Beach.
Beach Buoy headed for the Car Park.
A Man crossed the Beach to meet up with Beach Buoy.
He had a Stubborn Dog too and was keen to chat,
The Dogs circled each other.
The owner was a Hartlepool United Season ticket holder too; like Beach Buoy.
They parted, a jogger passed.
He was wearing shorts and a bruise coloured top. As he ran he placed a finger on a nostril and blew his nose onto the Beach. 
Carry on Jogging. 
"Oh Matron!"

As the walk ended it felt like Stubborn Dog had secreted  a couple of house bricks about his person.
Double Stubborn mode.
They made it to the ramp as a Horse came down to join the Beach fun.
"Morning." said the rider, happy that Beach Buoy had stood to one side for them to pass.
Beach Buoy echoed the remark.
As Beach Buoy slid open the van door, the Church bells Chimed for 9-30. Beach Buoy glanced at the Bus Station Clock Tower "9-20" it proclaimed on the two of it's four faces that could be seen from Beach Buoy's current location.

Beach Buoy started up the Van as a fellow beach-walker was tap dancing in puddles to get the sand off his shoes, so as not to get any in his Car. Clearly, he didn't mind it getting wet but not sandy ?
Beach Buoy whistled the tune to Singing in the Rain as he left the film set.
By the time he had reached the stomping Seagulls he had broken into song .....'I'm Singing in the Rain........."
All this and it was still morning.
BEACH BUOY.