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| Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog left the house at 4-40 am It was V E Day. Many houses had flags and bunting up ready for the day ahead. Whenever Beach Buoy sees flags up, he is always reminded about a Grandfather that he never met. He died a year before Beach Buoy was born. That's him above, on the left. It is a picture showing the crew of a ship pretending to water a potato plant that they had managed to grow in a bucket aboard ship. He lived in Middleton, down near the sea. Years ago people would celebrate Empire Day. Flags and bunting would be put. Beach Buoy researched his family tree a few years back. It turns out Grandad was quite a character. One relative recalled an Empire Day in 1930's Middleton. The full street was festooned with Union Jack Flag and bunting. One house flew the Russian Flag..... Grandad's House. He was a bit of a battler, so it is doubtful anyone would have had the nerve to say anything. Back in 2020 the street lamps went out at 4-45 am as Beach Buoy passed underneath them. They passed the Cricket club. The moon was on a flagpole, looking a little like a giant dandelion. |
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| As they approached the beach, Beach Buoy could hear the chattering of the Little Terns that had recently returned to Seaton Carew to nest. Some flew through the air at great speed, the are the slightest of birds; almost just a pencil line sketch of a sea bird. Two flew close together twisting and turning as they zipped across the sky |
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| They reached the beach at 4-53 am. Beach Buoy was hoping to capture the sunrise as it cleared the horizon. Low cloud on the horizon meant that they would have to wait. The tide was high, having peaked at 4-39 am The sunrise was 5-11 am |
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| An edge of the low cloud glowed Orange. The sun was on its way but cleared the horizon to the soundtrack of Wa Wa Waaaaa; a hidden sunrise. They headed south as they waited.. |
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| They didn't have to wait long. Starlings dashed across the dunes, some heading North but the majority headed south. It's a wonder that some didn't collied. |
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| The tide had brought lots of driftwood. |
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| Lots and lots. |
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| They continued south. The high tide was almost up to the dunes. |
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| Matchstick.... |
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| The bright sun lit up the dune edges. Beach Buoy clambered up and added to the dune ashes stack. |
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| More driftwood. |
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| Beach Buoy loves it when the sea casts a shadow on the sands. |
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| Beach Buoy rested on a driftwood tree stump bench. Stubborn Dog kept look out. Beach Buoy sat; squinting at the sun, The sea thumped into the nearby grey rocks. As the sea pulled back the rocks made the noise and a hundred cracking knuckles. |
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| They headed back. The beach was theirs as it had been for the duration of the allowed visit; sharing it only with wildlife. A hint of seal appeared briefly in the curl of a breaking wave and was gone ; no publicity. |
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| Beach Buoy made breakfast with a portion of make believe added. So breakfast on the drive was transformed, with a little imagination into breakfast in the van with the view a small, still to be explored new beach..... |
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| The imaginary still to be explored beach was located down an imaginary dusty road. Beach Buoy washed and waxed the van.... again. BEACH BUOY. |
