........meanwhile down at Seaton Carew
Beach Buoy and his matey; Stubborn Dog pulled into the car park that was sandwiched between the Golf Club's Clubhouse and the beach to the East.
It was exactly 3-48pm.
The air was still and cold.
They headed down the large sloping access ramp to the beach.
The tide was well in which meant a narrow beach to walk today as much of the beach is tidal.
The sea was wild on the calmest of afternoons.
The colours of the day were very pale almost blurred.
The Wind Turbines were barely visible.
They were able to walk south via the beach as far as the large driftwood piece.
After that they had to head up to the dunes to continue their walk to save a soaking.
They said farewell to the mermaid that was hiding in the sand.
(Centre of Photograph at the bottom.)
You may or may not see her.
Michelle is her name.
They climbed the peaks and troughs of the sand dunes on the way to the stack.
Down in the troughs the sound of the sea was muffled by the high-sided Dunes.
Beach Buoy picked up a couple of rocks that had been laid in the dunes, to add to the stack.
Collecting some from the nearby beach wasn't really an option today.
Beach Buoy carried them carefully to the stack.
He reminded himself of Father Jack with his favourite brick on TV's Father Ted.
They stacked the stack before starting to head back.
They travelled via the dunes until the were able to safely use the beach for their journey.
Michelle had slipped back into the roaring sea by the time that they reached the driftwood once more.
The air felt damp.
It was not raining, maybe it was because there was so much spray hanging in the bay, thanks to the busyness of the North Sea?
Then...
tiny hailstones began to fall, like small pieces of rice tumbling down slowly and gently as if in slow motion.
By the time that they were making use of the access ramp again it was almost dark.
The lights of The Hungry Seagull marked the top of the ramp and the end of the walk, as the van was parked almost right alongside.
As they crossed the Promenade a bad news siren echoed out to the town.
BEACH BUOY.
