Beach Buoy reached the beach car park at 6-10 p.m.
He was alone.
It was a bright and breezy evening.
As he parked up, equispaced couples walked the promenade.
The refreshing breeze blew from the North.
It was the perfect breeze to have behind you, should you have a sail boat and should you have somewhere or someone to sail to in the south.
It was around forty minutes to high tide by the time he reached the water's edge.
The distance between the sea and the strandline was about as wide as the promenade itself.
Beach Buoy headed south.
A lone jogger dressed in black headed north.
Beach Buoy still wasn't close to 100% although a short cycle ride earlier in the day had seemed to be of benefit.
A man with two sausage dogs in hot pursuit overtook a slow coach Beach Buoy.
Beach Buoy stooped down to pick up a piece of sea pottery, to have a closer look.
A Golden Retriever seemed to appear from nowhere.
The dog seemed to think Beach Buoy had picked up a stone to throw.
He hadn't.
By the time he reached Stubborn Dog Stack, the newest and most recent of strand lines were the best of friends.
Beach Buoy had collected five small stones before climbing a gentle slope access to the dunes.
"Hiya Mate."
Down on the beach, two ladies appeared from the south.
As they reached the water's edge, beyond the grey rocks.
They took off their socks.
Stepped into the sea.
Screamed.
Then they headed north.
Beach Buoy stared at
THE
stone down in the stack.
A cold motionless stone to mark the place of a dog so full of life and with such an independent, strong character.
Beach Buoy rubbed a couple of tears from his eyes, placing his damp fingers on
THE
stone,
leaving damp finger marks on the dry stone as he did so.
More shoots of Dune Grass were appearing from the stack.
Beach Buoy stayed longer than he had of late.
Three Pugs appeared, two of them stood on top of the stack.
In a flash they were gone, heading towards a line of people and other Pugs that were walking along the tide-narrowed beach.
The Pug Owners Club turned as one and headed back to the north.
"Night night mate."
Beach Buoy headed back to the van on newly exposed footprint-free sand.
