 |
| Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog arrived around 7-45am. The 7 am club had been and almost gone. A horse was down near the water's edge. Its owners were photographing it. Out in the bay a jack-up rig's lights twinkled in the dull morning gloom just beyond the slowly turning wind turbines. Off in the distance towards the North a dog barked as it walked; it walked a lot. It had been high tide at 6-35am so the tide was on the way out. The Church bells rang out 8am along the length of the beach. Two Cormorants were just offshore out in the Bay, about 30 foot apart, facing each other like bookends. In a flash they dived and were gone. As Beach Buoy headed south the two birds seemed to follow diving and resurfacing the full-length of the way to the grey rocks. They were joined by a third Cormorant. The Bay seemed to be divided in half when it came to the colours on show. The calm sea mirrored the sky above it. The north was brighter; the sea was light but in colour here. The Clouds to the south of the bay were responsible for the other side of the bay to have a much darker blue sea that stretched to Redcar, Saltburn and beyond. |
 |
| Just before they reached the grey rocks an old, small Terrier headed for them . It crouched down as it got closer, a little like a cat waiting to pounce. All was good the dog was friendly; just curious. Beach Buoy stroked the Dog. As Beach Buoy approached the grey rocks, a lone Oyster Catcher flew off in a circular direction, behind Beach Buoy and headed out to sea. It was when he reached the rocks that another twenty or so of the birds followed the lone bird's flightpath. |
 |
| Beach Buoy stood looking at the sea serpent for a while. He turned to head back north with a Clockwork Crow for company. The black bird pecked at the strand-line; feeding as it walked. The three Cormorant had taken off and headed North also. They flew close to the sea. Perhaps they were going to go and repeat their southerly dive / swim routine. The Church Bells rang out the three quarter hour chime, aptly, as clear as a bell. Two Stubborn type dogs played gleefully as their owners followed. |
 |
| It was a fairly quiet morning back on the promenade... apart from the sound of revving engines. |
 |
| As is their way, the local Motor sport club had taken over around half of the car park for an auto test. Grown men; papers on hand walked the planned course. Some stood at the side, each with an arm up , drawing the shape of the course in thin air. Boys and their toys eh ? Beach Buoy drove off along the Sea Front heading to a local shop As he passed the Bus Station Clock Tower he noticed that it was two hours and six minutes slow. Beach Buoy made a coffee then washed and waxed the van again as Stubborn Dog slept soundly inside the camper, on the passenger seat, possibly dreaming of a day when they will go on a long trip instead of washing and waxing the van, again! Beach Buoys and their toys eh ? |
 |
| zzzzzzzzzzzzz DREAMS "C'mon Boy... we are off to Scotland." |
 |
| 3-20 pm Beach Buoy was back at the beach, with two dogs and a very very shiny van. The tide was a fair way out. It was gloriously bright afternoon with a breeze from the north west. At the water's edge Beach Buoy noticed around twenty or so very white seagulls bobbing on the surface of the sea, out beyond the breaking waves. The bright sunlight drawing attention to their whiteness as it contrasted so well the the blue of the sea on which they sat. |
 |
| They headed South. The tide was still low enough to allow a walk to the North Gare Pier without a dune hike. There was a fair bit of shingle down by the anti-tank traps but no finds that Beach Buoy could see. The shingle had been well walked and any obvious finds may have been taken by others? A lady headed North with shoes in hand, feet in the Sea and head in the clouds. Up in the dunes Children made summer noises as they played. |
 |
| As they headed back North, the sun was shinning in Beach Buoy's eyes. He had to raise a hand to enable him to re- search the shingle on the return journey and after long dark autumn and winter; it wasn't a bad thing. Towards the end of the walk the wind picked up. Beach Buoy looked to the North. A lone raincloud to the North was the possible cause. Beach Buoy drove off along the sea front to drop off second dog; sweep. The Bus Station Clock Tower was two hours and six minutes slow. A different two hours and six minutes. BEACH BUOY. |
