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| It was the last full day/night of the stay..... Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog wandered down onto St Bees Head Beach after a short walk on the small promenade. The sun was shining down and there was a lovely breeze blowing down the Irish Sea. The novelty of staying overnight just a minute's walk from the sea would never fade. Today the tide was such that it allowed them to go beyond the groynes. *THINKS.* now that's a good title for a book. BEYOND THE GROYNES by Beach Buoy. Not to be confused with BEYOND THE GROINS (Thats a different type of book altogether!) They walked south for around fifteen minutes or so. Beach Buoy had only found a couple of pieces of sea glass. There wasn't much at all and there is no way he would call it a hot spot by any stretch of his limited imagination. He looked around . There was no short short man, no Mari the poodle. Every beach is different but they all have their regulars, faces and silhouettes that, in time, would become familiar. The woman with a Retriever that was as white and almost as big as a Polar Bear and dare we say almost as stubborn as Stubborn Dog. (Almost.) The girl who appeared down the hill with a collie dog and headed for the sea, walked the beach and headed off to who knows where? They and others with a set pattern of the day and of their beach visits. After a shower and a tidy up, Beach Buoy made a coffee. He sat smug with a mug. What an idyllic spot! Beach Buoy sat and made notes in his notebook to use as reference later when blogging about the adventure, every now and then he would look at the view, check no one had stolen the isle of Man and continue. Out of the back window he could see that it was slightly fresher today. Random white horses appeared on the sea. The tide had come in a little, the groynes were partially covered... His mind began to wander... (It always, always wanders but this was an extra wander, then add two foot). A Horse racing commentary style voice spoke in his head... "And here we are now, already for the 10 o'clock Groyne Hurdle from the St Bees Course. Sponsored by Life's a Beach. Here is the betting..... Ocean Spray 15 -1 High Tide 12-1 Isthatadolphin 5-1 Shesellsseashells 2-1 Squids in 2-1 Cat (a meringue).... evens 🙈🙉🙊 Beyond the races, a steady stream of hikers began to climb St Bees Head. Some dressed as mountaineers, some in beach wear. Some with rucksacks, some with babies. The Seagulls that soared above the head on the up-draught had no doubt seen it all before. Beach Buoy reached for the map of Cumbria.... Should he venture out? Yes. Even though a day of just sitting would have done. His finger travelled the coast, like one of the soaring seagulls deciding just where to land. MARYPORT.  |
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| It was 12-15pm It was indeed Maryport. Beach Buoy maybe should have consulted a map of the town too? He parked up early on in the docks system, not realising it was all a bit of a walk down to the pier. He went up and down a number of quaysides as he headed for the pier light. The harbour had boats of all types and state of repair. Some rusted. Some busted. Some worthy of the sea. |
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| A raised dock gate didn't help it the sort cut department! |
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| Nets dried in the baking sun. Part of the quayside is gated, leading to a small stop for caravans and motorhomes and the like. It consisted of the two barriers and a number of electric hook up points and water supply; that was it. It did look a little out of place to say the least. A steady train of white vans driven by a steady supply of white van men tootled around the quaysides. (Beach Buoy was later to decide that "Tootle." meant going slow because they were lost.) Beach Buoy went beyond another tall wall and still no pier. it seemed like a dead end? An ambulance with flashing lights but no siren approached the same dead end. "Well if they are lost, what chance do I have?" Beach Buoy said to himself. Phone out. Google maps! Back to van for a more a more calculated attempt to reach the summit. aka Pier Light. Beach Buoy joined the procession of white vans travelling the quayside in his ... white van! |
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| Finally Beach Buoy reached the light. Sadly Richard O'Brien was not there to present Beach Buoy with his crystal for competing the maze. Beach Buoy parked up near to the light and walked the narrow jetty that led from it. |
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| There were only a few parking spaces and they felt a little vulnerable as a convoy of bright orange trucks rattled past to be loaded with gravel by a digger that was down on the beach to the south of the jetty. |
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| Beach Buoy may not have received a crystal for his endeavours but a cuppa with a view of Scotland would suffice. Beach Buoy got the map out again and alternating between binoculars and book was picking off the Scottish landmarks. Kirkcudbright. Dalbeattie. Thoughts of more travels filled Beach Buoy's head; travels with borders to cross. |
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| The light stood proudly in the bright sunlight and looked magnificent. |
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| Beach Buoy did see a boat with a wind- tattered BREXIT flag. In its battered state it read BREXI which ..... sounded Italian and seemed slightly ironic; to Beach Buoy at least... a trip to base camp and a 8-30pm walk on St Bees Head Beach finished the day. BEACH BUOY. |
