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| Beach Buoy woke at 5-11 am Seagulls were making a commotion. It only lasted around thirty seconds; then silence.... and sleep. Beach Buoy woke at 6-15am, he dozed a short while in the smugness of a day off. He asked Stubborn Dog if he wanted BEACH? The little dog is stubborn on many levels. The dog gave the slightest of a wag of its tail, more of a twitch in all honesty. Beach Buoy sipped at his hot milky coffee as he looked out of the window that gave a hint to how the beach was looking. WHICH WINDOW? Things were looking promising.... Beach Buoy gathered up Stubborn Dog and placed him in the van ready for the very short journey to the sea front. Behind some of the neighbouring houses is a rugby pitch. A Crow stood perched on the top of one of the Rugby Posts. It looked like a CCTV camera on its mast. Beach Buoy drove slowly over the speed bumps that lead the way to a busier road. As he reached the junction, Beach Buoy could see blue lights reflecting and rebounding from buildings and vehicles that surrounded the intersection. Suddenly a Fire Engine, silently but urgently sped west. A Police van on blue lights too, quickly followed the large red truck. As they drove into the car park, seagulls flew overhead at 90 degrees to the shore; heading inland. They were randomly scattered and looked a little like a polka dot blanket. He parked up and watched birds; two seagulls and two crows, play bin chess at the base of a hi-tech Big Belly Bin. Sorting out the pecking order. He glanced at the horizon; grey to the north and a blush of pink to the south. He changed into his beach boots and the two finally headed for the beach. As they reached the access ramp Beach Buoy looked up at a lamp post. Two crowing crows were playing king of the castle at the top of the light. They must have won the nearby game of bin chess? By 7 am Beach Buoy was on the beach. He glanced north. Bang on cue, off in the distance he could see the completely recognisable 7am club, heading south. |
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| Beach Buoy lead the way south. He stopped and chatted to a chap that was heading north with his friendly Jack Russel / Yorkshire Terrier cross. Beach Buoy mentioned how glorious the dawn was. The man said he always seemed to be walking in the wrong direction to enjoy it to the fullest extent. They said their goodbyes and went their differing ways. One of them was heading in the right direction... A two hump sea serpent played out in the Bay, to the south of its marker. |
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| An unusual blue and white piece of sea pottery. |
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| They continued south. The sea seemed thicker than water today. The creamy luscious sea kissed the beach as it gently made contact with the sand, while it's out-stretched arms embraced a pier at either end of the bay. |
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| The visible sunrise was delayed ever so slightly, by a thin line of low-lying cloud, seemingly keen to keep the dawn for itself? A thought crossed Beach Buoy's sometimes muddled brain... Groundhog Day Same Beach Same Beach Buoy Same Dog Same Sun as many other days But if this was Groundhog day, then that was fine by him. He would even take Piano lessons and Ice Sculpture classes. This Groundhog Day would do...... |
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| A Ship came into port, sneaking in as it did, in the newly- formed gap between the sea and the now partially risen sun. |
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| It truly is "The best part of the day." |
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| They walked to the grey rocks and found a comfy looking rock for a bit of sitting and thinking. Beach Buoy made some notes in his Beach Book and let his mind wander more than a little. Then he sparked into life. It was the sound of a dog's name tag clinking on its collar. He looked left to the north. The 7 am club were a fair distance off. Mari the large friendly poodle wasn't and she was heading straight for them. Beach Buoy stood up just in time as the ever-so friendly dog bounced in the excitement of a good morning. Beach Buoy gave the dog an extra special, extra long neck scratch. The smaller more timid, but just as friendly Brown Dog came over for a fuss. A group "Morning." to the 7am club. Beach Buoy started to head north to let the club have the end of the beach as their own. Stubborn Dog wasn't happy with the direction of travel ... so south it was. They travelled behind the grey rocks but in front of the dunes, where sand met rocks and stone. It was an uneven surface, like the world's worst cobbled street. The club were still stood taking at beach end, whilst admiring the sea and the light upon it. They walked a while and then Beach Buoy looked North. In the distance Mari the poodle was stood looking south towards Beach Buoy as if weighing up if it was too far to come for seconds. It was too far. She was off to catch up the bright early morning chatter of the humans in the 7 am club. |
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| North Gare was Stubborn Dog's idea today. The Blue lagoon was a glass half full / half empty, depending on your mood. If it hadn't of been for Stubborn Dog's stubbornness then Beach Buoy wouldn't have heard the first Skylark of the year. It appeared from the North Gare Beach and rose to hover over the dunes on Seaton Sands. Beach Buoy stood an age listening to the tuneful little bird. He could hear more than he could see the elusive bird. It ended up as more of a game of musical floaters as his eyes struggled to focus in the bright light. FLOATERS Thanks Stubborn Dog! It was start.. still no Sand Martins, ducking and diving around the North Gare corner. Down at Sea level, the anti tank blocks looked like they too were ducking and diving as the sea hid them then revealed them with its rise and fall. |
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| The sun was turning from gold to lemon now that dawn was over. The beach looked deserted .. They headed back. |
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| Behind them the foot and paw prints showing the comings and goings of the 7 am club; Beach Buoy's and Stubborn Dog's too. On the way back they met an old friendly dog called Doris. The sea had freshened a little. Its kiss was now more of a slap in the chops. Beach Buoy had his hands in his pockets, in a relaxed way, not due to the cold as there wasn't any cold , it was glorious. It was a calm walk back. Even Stubborn Dog seemed to be walking ALMOST normally. The church Bells rang at 8-30am By 8-40am they were back at the van. A Police Car stood next to around 20 or so Seagulls. perhaps they had been rounded up for the 5-11 am disturbance? Beach Buoy swapped boots as Stubborn watched the world go by the sliding door's vantage point.The Police Car drove off. A Jogger was doing a warm down by trying to push over a wall as he stretched. A lady in a bright yellow coat threw a ball for her dog near the tragic yellow bench that almost matched her coat in colour. Later that day.. they were travelling north on the A19 a small van overtook them. They would see the same van in a while. parked in a lay-by as it's driver stood in front of the van peeing onto the grass verge... classy! |
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| They arrived at Noses's Point down at Dawdon, near Seaham. The dog wanted to be out and about. |
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| They were out. 12-15 pm They headed to the steep bank that leads down to the Blast Beach. A couple had started off down the slope before them. The man with their dog was at the bottom as the woman struggled . Beach Buoy suggested she tried walking sidewards and that he would go in front so she could only go as far as him. She thanked him and said she had just gone dizzy... due to the height and the steepness of the slope. They arrived at the bottom and he told the man that there were stairs back up about halfway along the beach, if needed. |
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| The tide was well out. It felt more like a day in May rather than February! |
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| The beach wasn't over busy. Couples and Family groups beachcomber and exercised dogs. |
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| Beach Buoy collected some sea glass on the journey south. |
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| They rested up and had a sit and think down at the south end of the beach. |
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| Another slow walk back... |
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| More sea glass was added to the collection as they headed North. Beach Buoy saw a lady sea glass hunting. he gave her today's finds. |
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| The tall grasses near the cliffs looked more end of summer grass than February grass. |
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| Its colour was washed out as if it had been in the sun for too long. |
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| The steep climb back awaited... The cliffs looked like bows of ships, about to collide. |
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| Beach Buoy wandered around the cliff tops for a while. Sea birds rose from the sea on the up-draught and swung inland , making their shadows scamper across the grass to catch them up. |
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| Beach Buoy stayed ages in the van.. cuppa or two... cake or two... non-alcoholic beer or two. As he people watched and enjoyed the car park ballet as cars came and went from the family small but very busy car park. He had a nap. 5-30pm time to head back. BEACH BUOY. |
