It was 8-20 am by the time Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog turned up.
Spots of rain fell in the damp grey car park.
They headed for the beach.
The visibility was poor.
The tide had not long turned from low.
To the North they could only see as far as the village green.
To the South the visibility only stretched about half way along the length of the dunes.
As they walked, Stubborn Dog kept stopping to see Beach Buoy's reaction.
In the end it just wasn't worth the hassle.
Stubborn Dog won, they turned back before getting anywhere near the stack.
As they headed back, Beach Buoy made a note of the morning's brief beach visit.
The 5B STAEDLER idea was working a treat, as the soft pencil wrote on the damp wrinkled pages of Beach Buoy's beach book with ease.
A group of brightly coloured beach cleaners walked the strand line as they headed north, collecting as they went.
At least there was a coffee waiting in the van.
Stubborn Dog sat in the back.
Beach Buoy sat alone in the front of the white van, sipping hot coffee and watching a misty world and it's cast go by.
A car pulled up nearby.
Mary Christmas stepped out of the vehicle.
It was a lady with a long Santa type top on underneath her shorter outer coat.
She went to the promenade wall, took some photographs of the misty beach, she returned to her car and left.
Beach Buoy reckoned that she was on a reconnaissance mission for Santa, should he have to land on the beach in an emergency.
As Mary left there was another arrival.
A young man strode confidently towards the access ramp.
A stream of red and white (Santa Coloured) Barrier tape was unravelling from his left coat pocket
In his right hand was a red and white (Santa Coloured )
Traffic Cone.
His left hand held some sticky-in-the-sand sticks.
( A little known technical term.)
He headed towards the sea and seemed to mark out a narrow strip on the beach.
An emergency landing strip for you know who?
After all the big fella wouldn't be the first to use the beach as a landing strip.
Click on link below.
(If you would like to of course.)
The Hungry Seagull arrived.
The owners seemed to discuss wind direction as they decided as to which way the mobile outlet's serving hatch should face.
All we needed to completely reveal the Christmas plot was for one of them to say 'It looks like rain deer.'
That would be the giveaway password clue.
Was all it a figment of an old man's imagination?
No.
Because on the way out of the car park, Beach Buoy spotted a lady dressed as a Christmas Elf step out her car and unload a pushchair.
Best Wishes to you and yours this Christmas.
It can the loneliest time of year.
BEACH BUOY.
