SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL 20 NOV 2021

Beach Buoy and Another Dog arrived at the beach car park at 6-31 a.m.

One beach regular was already out there, somewhere in the morning's darkness.

Beach Buoy clambered into the back of the van for a coffee.

The air outside was still but chilly.

Cracks of orange light began to appear out over an invisible sea.

To the south too, orange filled gaps not claimed by cloud.

Then the horizon could be made out, though the sea was still just a black void.

More orange as the orange lights of a council van flashed as it travelled the promenade to empty the bins ready for another day.

Beach Buoy donned his old coat.

A coat as orange as the gaps in the cloud cover.

It was 7-05 a.m. when they headed down the concrete slope of the access ramp.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed down towards the water's edge, then headed south.

The distant wave lady and 7 a.m. club were up, walking the strand-line, heading north.

The orange light turned to lemon.

It made no difference, it was all vitamin sea.

Dark Gulls flew overhead in a dark grey sky, heading inland for the day.

The sea swirled in.

A lady headed north.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog began to make their way up towards the dunes.

The smell of burning drifted from the dunes.

Word is, they are burning Buckthorn to return areas back to dunes.

A couple overtook them.

The couple were down towards the water's edge.

Beach Buoy looked over, curious to see were their dog was.

Their dog, a large white retriever, was ambling out of the sea.

It looked a little like a large and confused Polar Bear.

Beach Buoy paused to look at to sea towards 

the Sea Serpent Marker.

He picked up seven stones for the stack, one for each day of the week.

"Morning Mate."

It was 7-36 a.m.

He patted

THE 

stone.

He placed today's additions to any low areas in the stack.

A beach combing, Border Collie owning couple had been heading south. 

They seemed to turn at the stack before heading back to the north.

The tide was well out.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed for North Gare Pier in the hope of seeing the sunrise.

"See you mate."

This time of year it appears over the other side of the river.

Beach Buoy can't wait until it rises over the sea once more.

They arrived just in time.

The sun sent out an inviting but short-lived bridge across the river.

Then it climbed up into the cloud cover.

Gone.

They paused.

They had a sit and think up above the tank traps, near Sand Martin Corner.

Mr Nunn / Gunn's dog trotted by.

It's a funny dog.

Never stops, can't be bothered with people or dogs.

Just does its own thing, which is trotting ahead of Mr Gunn/ Nunn.

As expected shortly after the little dog passed, Mr Gunn/Nunn did too.

Distant waves were exchanged.

They headed back through the dunes as far as 

Stubborn Dog Stack.

"Hiya Mate."

They headed back down to the beach to continue their northerly trek.

They paused at the access ramp to let three ponies and their riders make it down to the beach.

The village church bells rang out for 9 a.m. when they finally climbed the ramp.

It felt a little like they were being piped aboard. 

Beach Buoy drank coffee as he watched the world go by.

 

What a coincidence, the little people have ponies too.

BEACH BUOY.