Beach Buoy had gone to bed at 12-29 a.m.
He had set the alarm for 4-04 a.m.
By 4-25 a.m. he was in the beach car park.
Sunrise approached.
He headed for the beach.
It was very mild; T-shirt weather and it wasn't even 5 a.m.
A group of people stood down at the water's edge, watching and photographing the sunrise.
The distance between the horizon and the low cloud that hung just above it was less than a full showing of the Sun.
It had its head in the clouds by the time its bottom had left the sea behind.
The tide was well out.
There was a welcome slight westerly breeze.
Beach Buoy headed South.
The low tide made the beach seem vast.
A Crow flew past as if in slow-motion.
Out in the bay The Sea Serpent enjoyed the morning light, the peacefulness of the Bay and the beach that framed it.
Beach Buoy reached the stack at 4-58 a.m.
"Morning Mate."
He sat on the adjacent dune edge.
He watched the Sea Serpent twist and turn.
A skylark burst into song.
Beach Buoy recalled how sad it is when they leave.
A ship rounded The Wind Turbines, before turning gracefully on a glass sea and taking aim at the river.
He went down to the beach to collect some stones / rocks for Stubborn Dog Stack.
As he did so a Skylark hovered low down , directly over his little mates stack.
He sat back on the dune edge near to Stubborn Dog Stack.
He drank the last of the Coffee.
He made a few notes in his colourful beach note book.
He recalled some of his and Stubborn Dog's beach walks.
In rain and wind.
In snow and storm.
Here he was now doing a Summer Season feeling like
Wise without Morecambe,
a Cannon without a Ball.....
Out in the Bay , a cloud filtered the Sunlight into rays, sending them at angles to both sides of the Sea Serpent marker.
Five Cormorant headed towards The Headland in a 3-2 formation.
A Large Gull swoop down to the sea's surface as if sharing a kiss.
Beach Buoy knew that he didn't have to be sat on a dune edge to be near his mate.
If there is anything after all of this, then Beach Buoy was sure that the Little Dog was by his side in death as he was in life.
That said, there's a lot worse places to come and sit and remember.
Another Skylark burst into song as Beach Buoy added to the Stack once more.
He patted "THE" rock
"See you later mate."
His bottom lip slid over his top lip and with puffing cheeks he set off alone.
6-01 a.m.
Beach Buoy was heading North up on the Strand-line.
The distant wave lady was down at the water's edge.
She waved distantly.
Beach Buoy waved back.
The distant wave lady's Dog came running over for a more hands / paws on approach.
A young blonde lady ran down to the sea, attached as she was by a lead to a Dog that was as keen to reach the sea as a school
trip of inlanders on a day out.
A Little Tern flew low to the beach, as it headed to the nest site.
Beach Buoy could see the bird had caught a Sprat in its beak.
Beach Buoy had used a broken blue sand castle bucket to collect some beach cleaned items.
He placed them in the Promenade Bin.
A litter-picker walked nearby.
"Morning." said Beach Buoy.
"Morning mate, alright?"
"Some mucky pups around isn't there?"
The Litter-picker paused a while before answering...
"Yes, there is."
A Small Gull was stood at the top of one of the Promenade's lights.
A Larger Gull chased it and took over the vantage point , only to be chased away by another Large Gull;
Life eh?
Kettle on.
Radio on.
Daniel by Elton John.
It took him back to a night when he was sat in the back of a White Ford Escort van, outside Hartlepool Hospital as he and his Dad waited for Mam to return after visiting Grandmother.
Songs can do that.
6-47 a.m. the kettle boiled.
An early 7 a.m. club walked the promenade towards the access ramp.
A silver camper van parked nearby.
It had rainbows on one side.
Chocolate Pudding passed by.
Beach Buoy chatted briefly with Choc Pudding's Owner.
The lovely brown dog jumped into the van through an open side door.
Once recalled it was time to go.
"Goodbye."
Beach Buoy headed off.
Lunch was in Saltburn-by-the-sea.
- - - - - - - - - - -
At 6-55 p.m. he returned to Seaton Sands with Borrowed Dog .
Two Little Terns escorted a Large Gull from the premises.
Groups of Hot-hatch type cars filled the car park.
Engines were run, turbos whistled as people dressed mainly in black, milled around the vehicles.
They headed south, to a much quieter end of the beach.
"Night night mate."
Beach Buoy added another rock.
BEACH BUOY.
