It was meant to be an early morning beach.
It wasn't to be.
They finally reached the beach at 4-21 pm
The rain that had threatened all day, followed about ten seconds later.
Rain wouldn't put them off.
A couple sat on the end bench on the promenade, eating a take away meal from cartons.
They headed for the sea, as a coffee drinking family headed south.
A man with his trousers tucked inside his socks headed north.
It was 4-28 pm when Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog reached the water's edge.
The tide had peaked ten minutes earlier.
They headed south.
The village church bells rang out for 4-30 pm
(It was 4-30!)
Someone must have put the Church's Clock forward an hour and two minutes.
After a check to the north, they continued south.
A plus about the tide just turning was a "new" beach surface to search.
The minus was that the strand line and water's edge were almost as one.
A string of people walked the line, looking like the queue at the slowest chip shop in Seaton, you know the one?
Beach Buoy took himself and Stubborn Dog out the equation and went to sit on the dune edge for a while and watch the procession pass.
The rain had stopped not long after it had started.
They just chilled a while.
Once the "Rush' was over they headed up to the stack.
It was stacked and tidied up a little.
Beach Buoy stood and watched the waves, it was slightly hypnotic, like watching the flames of a fire dance its dance.
The sound of the breaking surf was calming, like rain on a roof.
The plan was to head back to the north.
Stubborn Dog had other ideas.
A tug of war ensued.
Stubborn Dog won.
Waiting a while was his prize.
They followed the yellow sand road; a narrow road, as the tide was still well in.
The road was theirs for a while.
A man in a hat that was too big for him and lady in a coat was too small for her headed their way.
This observation is not critical, Beach Buoy was wearing a hat that was too tight and a coat that was too big.
The wind blew as they walked on.
It was almost the end of the walk but not of the daylight.
British Summertime was here.
The strong wind meant that photographing the finds on the beach would be difficult.
The van became
FINDS H.Q.
it was also
COFFEE H.Q.
it was also
BISCUIT H.Q.
Beach Buoy photographed the finds as Stubborn Dog snored like a sailor.
Rain came.
Beach Buoy laid back and
zzzzzzzzz
The van was now
NAP H.Q.
Beach Buoy woke at 6-26 pm.
Rain bounced on the roof and the driver's side of the van.
He quite easily could have closed the van curtains and slept until dawn.
Time to go.
They drove off.
He parked on the drive and tried to tempt Stubborn dog out of the van.
The little dog looked so comfortable on the back seat of the van.
He looked at Beach Buoy as if to say
'Close the van curtains, I will sleep until dawn.'
BEACH BUOY.
