Beach Buoy, Another Dog and two thermal mugs of coffee arrived at the beach car park at 6 a.m.
Beach Buoy ventured out to move into the back of the van.
As he stood at the van's side door he noted that there was a slight breeze from the north west.
6-18 a.m.
Voices on the promenade.
It was two members of the 7 a.m. club, with two dogs.
Mari the Large Friendly Poodle was there, wearing an illuminated collar, like a princess's necklace.
Apart from Beach Buoy and Another Dog, the car park was empty.
Beach Buoy drank coffee, illuminated by the van's internal colourful lights.
The breeze began to whistle a tune, as a wind would do.
The car park was scanned by the bright headlights of a car as it pulled into its parking spot.
"Distant Wave Lady?" thought Beach Buoy.
He didn't check.
6-34 a.m. came
Beach Buoy could just about make out the horizon now.
The sky was light dark, the sea dark dark.
An old man broke into a run on the promenade.
It looked like he had decided to run the last bit of the southerly trip to the end of the promenade?
He wasn't really dressed for running.
A cloak of darkness was his outfit.
Shortly afterwards he walked back to the north, with the cloak tucked safely under an arm.
No one but Beach Buoy any the wiser.
6-47 a.m.
Beach Time.
They headed for the water's edge.
Gulls became louder and light increased as though they both shared the same sliding scale.
Distant figures were to the south.
The 7 a.m. club and the distant wave lady.
As he walked, Beach Buoy could hear the delivery of Excited Dogs, back in the car park.
The tide was well out.
Far enough out to see the Seaton Carew Wreck, had it not been reclaimed by shifting sands.
Beach Buoy looked back to the north.
All of the excited barking made sense now.
There was a man on the beach with nine, yes nine dogs.
They ran as a pack.
Thankfully they didn't venture too far south.
A Dune walker appeared up on the height of the dune edge.
He must have been out early?
He wore a light on his head.
The light was still on.
As the person stood looking out to sea.
Beach Buoy could almost hear him say.
"Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be
The Seaton Carew Lighthouse."
A lady with swinging arms marched to the south.
The 7 a.m club passed by with the distant wave lady.
Beach Buoy waved from a distance.
They all waved back distantly, she had trained them well.
Beach Buoy headed towards the dune and
Stubborn Dog Stack that lies there.
"Morning Mate."
It was 7-25 a.m.
He added some beach stones before patting
THE
stone.
He looked at The Sea Serpent Marker,
its red light flashing every four apple and.
"See you mate."
They headed back to the beach, then continued south.
A look to the north before carrying on south.
They were off to Seaton Snook again.
Something had struck a chord with Beach Buoy about the place.
All of the trials and tribulations of it's inhabitants, now just a field and a couple riverside names.
It sounded like
"A local shop, for local people." type of place.
So maybe the ghosts that grazed in that field with the horses wouldn't want him there anyway?
They crossed over North Gare Pier.
North Gare Beach.
The Blue Lagoon.
The Snooks.
Take your pick.
A protective arm of rocks shields the northern side of the river mouth.
Plenty of space.
Now that Beach Buoy knows the story a little more, these timbers in the sand may tell another story?
Beach Buoy continued up to the field.
He stood, trying to picture Seaton Snook Cottages, the school and the mission house.
He stayed a good while.
No ghosts came to haunt or taunt.
He would most probably have fitted into the community no problem anyway?
Another Dog led the way to Seaton Snook Point via the crumbling causeway.
The beach and mudflats drained out into the river.
They crossed back to the north.
