As Beach buoy left work at 3pm, the sun was shining.
He grabbed Stubborn Dog and headed for the beach.
By the time they reached the beach, the season seemed to have changed.
Winter had come in minutes.
The rain started as they walked to the water's edge.
The temperature dropped and the rain increased in force.
BEACH BUOY.
Beach Buoy woke at 4-10 am.
He knew sleep was over, so he headed downstairs and made a Coffee.
He wrote the blog about the AA Book of the Seaside as he sipped coffee and ate an all butter muffin with butter on top, which was melting on the warm, early breakfast.
He waited for beach time.
Beach time came.
It was still dark and it was misty.
They drove the short distance to the beach.
The beams of light from the LED street lights looked like spray from shower heads, thanks to the misty start to the day.
It was 7-20 am when they reached the damp car park.
Stubborn Dog wasn't keen and had to be carried to the beach.
They crossed the non-tidal part of the beach and it's thousands of foot, paw prints and stories.
Next it was the smooth tidal sands as they left the strand line behind and headed for a still distant sea; distant thanks to the low tide.
It was a mild day, there wasn't a breath of wind.
Gulls cried overhead in the mist.
Beach Buoy saw a Sand Eel on the sand.
He touched it gently to see if there was any sign of life, it jumped around like a jumping cracker firework.
He scooped it up and took it to the sea.
It was certainly full of life.
They went to stack Stubborn Dog Stack.
Someone had decided that the stack had been designated as a dog poo collection point.
💩
😟
They headed back to the beach.
To the North the beach looked empty.
Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog headed South ...
to NORTH Gare Pier... as you do.
They were met by a rumble of muffled industry, drifting across in the mist from the South side of the river.
North Gare beach is known locally as 'The Blue Lagoon.'
The 'Lagoon' had drained as the tide had receded.
A strand line of sea coal showed the position of the Lagoon, framing its position in black as if it were in mourning for the sea to return.
A lone bait-digger watched as a small ship sailed into the river.
A jogger jogged along the Pier then headed down close to Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog.
The jogger wasn't wearing usual jogging attire.
He wore a baggy jumper, three-quarter length shorts and black shoes.
He looked more like someone on the run than out for a run.
Two fishermen appeared on the Pier, when they realised that the tide was so far out, they cut across to the river edge, clambering over slippy rocks, with rods in hand.
Perhaps they need to but a Tide Table Booklet?
Beach Buoy beach cleaned the seal necklace and rubber bung from the river side, placing it in his bag with the other items he had already gleaned from the sandy shore.
They crossed back onto Seaton Sands.
The mist looked like it had decided to stay all day?
A slow walk back took place.
BEACH BUOY.
When Beach Buoy was a child, the house had a copy of the
AA Book of the road.
It goes without saying it had lots of maps but was also full of interesting information.
It was one of those books that you could always find something of interest if you picked it up for a browse.
Beach Buoy had been looking on line at the book, as some people tend to do with items from their past.
It was there that he spotted The AA Book of the Seaside from 1972.
Prices ranged a fair amount but when he spotted a copy for 99p he made a bid.
The 99p bid won, the postage cost more; bargain.
It arrived a few days later.
It is in excellent condition.
Like the book of the road, from his childhood, Beach Buoy found lots of things of interest.
There are maps of the entire coast of the UK including many Islands.
Places will have changed beyond recognition over the years, but the important parts; the beaches, should all still be there?
Over 300 pages of detailed maps of the coast, all with information of towns and villages in the different areas.
The book also covers a wide variety of seaside related subjects, some are listed below.
Of course it pays to rememberer that it is a 1972 book.
Things have changed on most of the subjects above but that could be part of the interest for some?
You may find that Memory Lane has been renamed Enterprise Avenue, the road layout has changed and there is a Retail Park where that house used to be?
The book is approximately 130 mm x 230 mm
which is about 5 inches x 9 inches, handy enough to pop into car or van glovebox for a day out or even a trip around the full coast in bite size pieces, if you have the time, the money and the desire.
It has 480 pages.
The print is quite small, but that might be more to do with Beach Buoy's age than the book itself.
Beach Buoy thinks he bought a bargain for a total of £3-99.
He had seen some for sale for £30 to £40.
Anything in life is only worth the price someone wants pay, so.....your call.
BEACH BUOY.
It was a frosty start to the day.
A frost covered van windscreen was cleared.
They reached the car park at 7-10 am.
A man pulled up nearby in a VW Golf.
He stepped out, wearing a large baseball cap and carrying a large camera.
He set off towards North Gare Pier, possibly on a sunrise hunt?
Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog headed for the water's edge.
It was a fair distance away today as the tide was so low.
The sea was warmer than the frosty air.
An atmospheric steamy mist rose from the full length of the water's edge.
The Gulls seemed to using the sea as a foot spa after a long cold night, waiting for the day to arrive.
They stacked the stack to the sound of the loudest boat in the world chugging out to sea, unseen but audible.
They headed back to the beach.
Two people that were heading from the pier, decided to take a not so easy shortcut and clambered on all fours over the grey rocks.
The sea steam was so dramatic.
They paused a while near a rock pool as the North Gare Pier ran out to Sea.... one day.
The sky glowed as the unseen sun rose to find itself blocked by a cloud mountain.
Beach Buoy stood looking at the glow.
It felt a bit like standing outside an arena as a show took place, there he was without a ticket.
They began a slow walk back across sand then sea coal, then sand once more.
A Pair of dead man's fingers made it clear that Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog weren't welcome on its part of the beach.
Twists and turns of dark brown seaweed laid scattered near the water's edge, looking like the aftermath of a fight.
Wings and blades.
Back to the south, the sun peeked through a gap in the cloud and over the Pier, perhaps to check if Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog had made the effort to attend the show?
A curtain of cloud seemed to follow them north along the bay.
Back in the van, the gloves were off.
Hot coffee.
The Hungry Seagull arrived, ready for business.
Beach Buoy was maybe too pleased that he had managed to find a torch to match the van's curtains.
Beach Buoy went for a walk over on Hartlepool Headland.
BEACH BUOY.
The side door of the van slid shut.
It was 3-32 pm.
It was a Thursday.
The air was still, the car park busy.
The tide was low, they headed for the water's edge, beyond the patches of sea coal.
They headed south.
The clouds were dramatic.
A glow from the west, attracted them to the dunes.
The setting sun made the clouds look like volcanic lava.
They stacked Stubborn Dog Stack.
They paused and savoured the emptiness of the beach.
Seagulls headed out to sea.
Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog headed north.
The darkness claimed the day.
Before they knew what had hit them, it was 4-30.
It was dark .
Beach Buoy.
It was 3-33pm.
The car park was busy, the promenade too.
There was still a full sun; a perfect golden disc that was just beginning its journey down below the distant horizon to the west.
Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog headed for the sea and the palest of sky blue skies that was a perfect back drop for the silvery sea that shimmered below.
The Moon looked as if had been dusted with icing sugar.
People milled around.
A Spaniel wagged its way past, squeaking its squeaky ball as it did so.
The Sea Serpent made the most of the last of the day, out in the bay.
It wasn't dark quite yet but the Moon took the chance to reflect on the beach's wet sand.
They went to stack Stubborn Dog Stack.
Beach Buoy is starting to interlock the collected beach stones lately, making the structure more stable and prominent from beach level.
They began a slow walk back.
The colours of the sky looked other worldly.
Gulls began to drift across from the west, out to sea.
Some in neat flying V formation others; the majority looked more lines on random graphs.
The light that was still around was eerie.
The dunes looked as if they were on fire.
The sky was clear and crisp.
Out on the sea the moon laid a silver path to its front door.
An hour's walk completed.
The Village Church bells chimed for 4-30 as they passed The Hungry Seagull.
It was a Tuesday, after work beach walk.
They reached the car park at 3-43pm.
By the time they left the van, the village church bells were ringing for 3-45.
The free range egg yoke of a sun was already slipping down behind the golf club.
It had been a mild day but typically now work was done there was a chill blowing from the west.
The last throws of sunlight showed above the dunes.
A couple of couples left the beach, so ten minutes into the walk, the beach was theirs.
Beach Buoy had bought gloves yesterday.
He opted for fingerless gloves for the beach, better for beach combing, photos and making notes.
Still chilly but better than gloveless fingers.
Two Beagles appeared from the south.
One barked.
One sniffed.
They both headed north.
They went up to stack Stubborn Dog Stack.
To the north, the large patch of deep sea coal had survived the tides.
A small red ship slipped out of the river.
Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog headed back.
The moon clocked on as Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog clocked off.
Beach Buoy.
It was a Monday morning.
It was a day off.
Time and time again Beach Buoy goes to the beach early on a weekend.
He sees some lovely sunrises.
Some weekends though, the sun hides at sunrise, only to appear on a Monday morning, waving and shouting 'Wohooo! Over here.' as Beach Buoy goes to, or is already at, work.
Today he tried to catch the sun out.
A sneaky day off.
Of course he could always just lay in bed, let the world outside unfold without him.
There was no chance of that.
He loved to see the start of the day, no matter what the sun had in mind.
They left the house under cover of darkness.
The sun suspected nothing...
The van tiptoed down the road that led to the still dark beach.
They reached the beach car park at 7-10 am.
A couple had already parked up and were beach bound.
An illuminated Cyclist went by them. along the promenade.
Half man, half Christmas tree.
Beach Buoy headed to the sea , then south.
The social distancing 7 am club were already well along the beach, ahead of Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog.
Birds took flight as the dawn beachgoers milled around.
There was a vast difference between the light to the south to that of the north.
There was lots of sea coal around.
It was quite deep in places.
They stacked Stubborn Dog stack.
Beach Buoy decided to wait to see just what the sun would do today.
The sky above the bay was awarded pink stripes, as a waking sea serpent twisted and turned below.
They were stood in a breeze, a cold breeze from the south west.
It was a cold morning.
Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog both had double coats on today.
Beach Buoy stuffed his fish finger hands into his pockets and made a note to self
'Buy Gloves.'
He did have a glove collection, but the collection was a little like a teenager's sock draw.
All different styles and colours.
He could always put odd gloves on?
NOOOOOOOOOO!
He would rather have cold hands.
The Power Station rumbled to the west as the sea did the same to the east.
Busy birds crisscrossed both the bay and dunes.
They all looked as if they were late for an appointment.
Time flies.
7-54 am
The sun rose.
Beach Buoy waved and shouted
'Wohooo over here!'
(How do you like it Sunshine?)
The dune grass glowed gold.
Their sunshine shadows shuffled around and yawned.
The sun climbed.
The world was gold.
Some furnaces still burn.
The sea rushed to meet the grey rocks as if they were long lost friends.
The two beach pals headed back towards the van.
Coffee and blankets were waiting...
The sun slipped into the clouds, turning from an orange to a lemon as it did so.
Still lovely but not as sweet.
Whelk come to Seaton Carew.
Beach Buoy sipped hot coffee as Stubborn Dog introduced himself to a comfy blanket.
They headed back.
