16 JULY 2021. PROMENADE BIKE RIDE AND SEATON SANDS BEACH WALK....

Beach Buoy has been unwell for around five weeks now.

He is well on the way to recovery.

He is trying to build up his strength by cycling the promenade and walking the local beach.

A long way from the start when he basically couldn't move, then progressed to crawling around like a Commando on manoeuvres.

Walking came but it was agony, absolute agony.

He never went outside during the first few weeks.

Stubborn Dog Stack felt as far away as the Moon.

It hurt.

He had cycled the last couple of days going a little further each time.

He passed the Bus Station Clock Tower around 9 a.m. intent on reaching Hartlepool Marina which is three or four miles along the Sea Front.

Once on the bike Beach Buoy always feels like he could just go on and on, cycle until he fell off the end of the world.

He just cycled to the end of the Promenade this time and even managed not to fall off the end.

He looked across to Middleton.

The flats /apartments where fishermen's cabins once stood, including his Father's.

Before the cabins it was terraced houses, again including his Father's.

The bridge crossing the two-part Middleton Pier,  the bridge that he and his Father went under in a boat once upon a time.

The two remaining Factory buildings where Beach Buoy served his apprenticeship.

Middleton Beach below.

Back in the day this was 

"The Beach." 

So the road to recovery became Memory Lane for a short while.

He headed back to the south along the Promenade.

The warm bright sun casting 50 /50 on the Promenade's surface.

Beach Buoy rode the shadow line, his shadow looked like it was expertly riding the Promenade Wall; childish maybe but what the heck.

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

That afternoon he and Borrowed Dog headed for the beach.....

The Beach was going to be too busy later on.

An incoming tide would pack people up too much for Beach Buoy's liking.

So it was a fairly rare afternoon visit to the beach and Stubborn Dog Stack.

They reached the car park at 2-08 p.m.

Someone...✋ placed 

PARKING FREE AFTER 6 P.M.

stickers on most of the Parking Meters.

The tide was low, the sun hot.

Pop-up tents had popped up.

Picnic blankets and windbreaks were scattered around as if they had been dropped by parachute from a passing aeroplane..

A metal detectorist searched the strand-line looking for other people's misfortune.

Beach Buoy and Borrowed Dog reached Stubborn Dog Stack without interruption. 

"Afternoon Mate."

Beach Buoy patted 

THE

stone.

He added couple of stones to his mate's marker.

Still, even now it didn't seem right he wasn't there stood alongside him with his little stubborn tongue sticking out.

They stayed a while and thought thoughts.

"See you later mate."

They returned to the beach.

A thin grey-haired man was laid near the dune edge sunbathing.

He was already as dark as Mahogany, his thin limbs resembled branches.

Driftwood in human form.

They headed up to North Gare Pier and Sand Martin Corner.

Beach Buoy hadn't walked this far along the beach for a long time.

He noticed  driftwood shelter up in the dunes that would need investigating on the way back.

 Location.

Location.

Location.

BEACH BUOY.