They reached the beach car park at 7-01 a.m.
Beach Buoy spotted a man stood in the darkness trying to make sense of the parking meter and the charges.
Beach Buoy drove alongside.
"It's free until 9."
"Ah thanks."
The man headed back to his bright yellow car.
Out came a Labrador.
They headed for the beach.
Beach Buoy parked up.
The tide looked well out.
Beach Buoy sipped a mouthful of coffee.
They headed for the beach.
Gulls cried as they headed inland in the early morning dimness.
A cold breeze blew from the west as they headed south.
The clatter of train on tracks drifted by, carried on the chilly breeze.
They followed the strand-line, a strand-line marked with a sprinkle of sea coal.
Cold finger ends were stuffed into coat pockets.
The rest of the hands followed.
Beach Buoy did a 360 degree turn.
He counted four on the beach, including him.
A Crane from a rig-scrapping yard peeked over the dunes to verify the count.
They headed up to
Stubborn Dog Stack.
"Morning Mate."
He patted
THE
stone.
He added more to the stack.
Beach Buoy stood and pondered.
He pondered that inner rush.
An inbuilt rush from years of factory work, powered by an immense amount of conscientiousness.
He needed to chill.
Another Dog sat looking towards The Sea Serpent, looking a little too much like Stubborn Dog.
They stayed a while.
Beach Buoy drank thermal mug coffee.
"See you mate."
They headed back to the beach.
Beach Buoy decided to continue southwards.
The emptiness of the beach was inviting.
North Gare Pier and the World War Two Tank Traps.
The sun broke free of the low cloud for a couple of brief bright minutes.
Another Dog had another Another Dog for company for a short while.
