It was already Saturday when Beach Buoy went to bed.
Before the ferry to sleep arrived, Beach Buoy had goggled
"Hartlepool Sunrise."
6-15 am.
Fast forward four hours.....
Flashing lights
and
"Hello Moto."
followed by
Flashing lights
and
"Hello Moto."
Beach Buoy's on-charge mobile phone
had decided to re-start itself twice.
That was it.
A W A K E !
It was 4-15am.
Beach Buoy made coffee.
The van's windscreen was frozen.
Once defrosted, they set off for the beach.
It was 6-01 am when Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog arrived
at the car park behind the golf club.
Three sunrise seekers and a dog were up in the dunes.
They had a camera on a tripod in anticipation of a glorious sunrise.
As Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog headed for the water's edge, the dune three plus one had the same idea.
One of their number carried the tripod in an upright position as though it was some sort of religious treasure, it's contents not to be disturbed.
It was placed carefully on the sandy beach.
The three stood looking to the horizon.
The dog ran to the sea.
Other sunrise seekers were scattered around various parts of the beach and dunes.
Sunrise time came and went.
As did some of the sunrise seekers.
Low cloud had claimed the drama of the sunrise, like a damp tea towel on a chip pan fire.
There was a slight breeze from the west.
The Wind Turbines turned slowly.
As the hidden sun rose, the light was lovely.
Nearby, a Parcel of Oyster Catchers blew for full-time and took flight.
The recent stormy sea looked like it was going to take days to calm.
A Skylark welcomed them to the stack.
They stacked the stack.
A Bashful Sun eventually showed itself.
Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog headed back to the beach with the intension of a beach walk to Sand Martin Corner.
Halfway along they had to go across the grey rocks to stay out of the sea's way.
They climbed the steep sandy dune bank to gain access to North Gare Beach.
It was like walking up a down escalator.
They crossed the Pier and climbed down to North Gare Beach
aka
The Blue Lagoon.
The tide was out.
The Lagoon was just a mourning morning beach, edged as it was by black sea coal.
Down by the riverside a number of shipwreck-looking timbers had come ashore.
Hopefully its crew had too, finally.
They were scattered around, but seemed to be from the same source?
A ship of another type?
Maybe Beach Buoy went on board?
Maybe they said
"Stop killing the planet."
or
maybe it was
a
car
hubcap?
The River Tees.
A
north / south divide.
Some of the
"Repairs."
to the North Gare Pier
look like volcanic flow.
There will be a fed up fisherman somewhere.
Beach Buoy beach cleaned the collection of floats and hooks.
Two crab pots were laid nearby.
Beach Buoy cut off the ID tags to report them as found washed up and not stolen.
They had a mooch at Sand Martin Corner for finds.
The Sand Martins failed to show up once more.
With a now-warm sun on their backs, they headed north.
They walked the water's edge.
Two Joggers approached from the north.
One of them was wanting to walk.
His companion was less keen to do so.
It ended up with the walker walking, as his mate ran around him in circles again and again as he talked .
He looked like an excited child...
"Can we go on the beach? can we ? can we?
"You already are!"
There was a couple down by the water's edge with two small stubby boxer dogs.
Those 'Churchill' type dogs that say "Oh Yes."
Well one said "Oh No..." as a sneaky wave surrounded him.
It was ok.
Just wet and no doubt cold.
Beach Buoy found some sea glass.
GO
for go to the beach.
Beach Buoy recorded the finds and went to drink coffee in the van.
Later it was mobile beach hut mode, across the bay on Hartlepool's Headland.
Kettle on.
Socks and boots off.
Funny how being barefoot can make you feel like you are on holiday.
Stubborn Dog slept in the rotated front passenger seat.
The Theatre of the Sea.
SCENE ONE.
Beach Buoy nods off to the sound of the sea....
BEACH BUOY.
