SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL, 31 MARCH 2022.

It was the last day of free parking for a few months.

Payment required from 9 a.m to 6 p.m.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog

arrived at 5.

More of the mobile fairground had arrived, the closed up domes looking like mushrooms that had grown on the former putting green.

It was one of those days when the clouds fly by.

Where sunlight comes and goes in an instant.

The wind was cold and strong from the north.

Beach Buoy had reversed the van into their usual spot so that the van's side door was sheltered.

Nearby an AA repair man tried to fix a small broken down red car. The anxious owner looked over the AA man's shoulder to see how things were going, or not as the case may be.

They walked the water's edge.

The tide was on the way out, having not long turned.

The light was as bright as the wind was cold.

Freshly delivered sea foam shivered in the wind before running south in search of cover.

The height of the tide meant that the beach narrowed as the water's edge, strand line and dune edge all became one.

An imagined Post Card from Seaton Carew.

Having a lovely time.

Been four seasons in one day here.

Hope you are ok?

Can you post Norma's birthday card for me?

Its near the kettle.

It has a stamp on but l forgot to bring it to post it from here.

You know what she's like.

They headed up to 

Stubborn Dog Stack.

"Afternoon Mate."

Beach Buoy added some stones.

He patted

THE 

stone.

He watched the sea.

Even the horizon was a jagged line thanks to the rough sea.

They watched as a red ship left the River.

It rocked to and fro in the choppy sea.

It turned right to head south.

As it went side on to the wind, it rocked from side to side too.

"See you mate."

They headed back to the beach.

 The light kept on coming and going as clouds passed.

One particular cloud, in the shape of a clenched fist came to block the sunlight.

The wind altered the shape of the cloud to that of an open hand.

It offered them the sun 

A dog owner ran south with his pet, powered by the strong wind.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL 30 MARCH 2022.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached

the beach at 5-02 p.m.

The Golf Club's flag was flapping like a fish's tail, in the brisk wind from the north.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed along the beach. He had put three hoods up.

It was cold and blustery.

They headed south.

 The sun broke through partially allowing the weakest of sunshine shadows to join them for a short while.

The tide was still a fair way in, having peaked about two hours earlier.

Much of the sand was clear of footprints.

A blank canvas once more.

Angled rainfall crossed the bay from north to south.

By the time they were about half way to Stubborn Dog Stack, the sloping rain sloped off down the river, no tug required.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog must have been on the very edge of the rain.

For a few brief moments raindrops fell like bullets.

Beach Buoy stuffed old cold hands into pockets.

A man walked by with an umbrella.

He carried it awkwardly as if he had found it rather than bringing it to the beach. He headed off to the north, maybe looking for a raincloud to make use of the umbrella, found or not.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed along the dunes.

"Afternoon Mate."

Beach Buoy added some stones and patted

THE

stone.

Beach Buoy watched as the rain headed along the route of the River Tees.

Beach Buoy turned his attention to the Bay.

The cold strong breeze blew directly from The Headland.

"See you mate."

They headed back to the beach.

Three hoods went down.

It hadn't warmed up or become any less breezy.

They were acting like mini parachutes.

Two men with three dogs left the car park and headed to the water's edge.

They stayed for seconds then headed for the dunes.

A red ship left the River.

It rose and fell with sea the rolled side to side to as it turned and was side on the the strong chilly breeze.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed back to the comfort and shelter that the van offered.

 An imagined Post Card from Seaton Carew.

Having a lovely time.

Wasn't sure if l should  send a Post Card of a Christmas Card?

We had snow !

Just a few flakes, but snow.

B&B has a bay window window looking out to sea.

That's were l sat.

That's what l did.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL, 29, MARCH 2022.

It was Tuesday.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached the beach at 3-40 p.m.

There was a slight breeze from the south west.

Over near the Clock Tower a traveling fairground was setting up.

It will be here until the end of summer no doubt?

It was the first structure in mid assembly

Looking like open arms.

Waiting to catch all of that Money.

They headed down the access ramp, meeting a Black Labrador called Sidney along the way.

They headed towards the sea.

The tide was quite high but heading out.

Beach Buoy found a bottle base.

It was unusual, being so deep.

A bird flew along the water's edge

It landed ahead of them on the beach

It had an unusual flight, graceful unlike a Cormorant.

Beach Buoy asked around in social media.

The consensus if option that it was a 

SHAG.

The bird didn't seem bothered at all by the presence of Beach Buoy or Another Dog?

They headed to Stubborn Dog Stack.

"Afternoon Mate."

He placed some.stones.

He patted

THE

stone.

He watched the Shag down near the water's edge.it stretched out its wings.

The bird almost has the beach to itself.

They headed off.

"See you mate."

Back to the beach and a slow walk back.

A family with a Labrador were heading south.

The Playful Dog was carrying a piece of driftwood around.

It was as big as a man's leg.

The dog seemed very pleased with itself.

 An imagined Post Card from Seaton Carew.

Having a lovely time.

Landlady very exited about a TV show that's coming soon.

Filmed in Seaton Carew.

Think she said it is called,

The Thief his wife and a Canoe?

Something like that anyway.

Might see my B&B on Tele ?

BEACH BUOY.

28 MARCH 2022. SEATON SANDS.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog

reached the car park at 3-46 p.m.

It had rained and rained.

It had stopped.

It was fairly mild with a fresh breeze from the north.

A mist hung in the bay.

The Headland to the north was barely visible.

To the south, the wind turbines had lost their height.

They headed south.

Two men headed south at a quicker pace, overtaking as they did so.

Five Pebbles with legs ran in and out of the sea like excited school children.

A old man headed north, older than Beach Buoy.

It looked as if each step was one too far.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog continued south.

Nine more pebbles with legs were strung out along the water's edge.

Beach Buoy collected six stones for Stubborn Dog Stack.

They headed towards it.

Afternoon Mate."

He placed the stones.

He patted 

THE 

stone.

He watched as the two men who had overtaken them, head back to the north.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog said farewell to Stubborn Dog.

They clambered back onto the beach.

Beach Buoy decided to head to Sand Martin Corner.

He wanted to know if the Sand Martins had arrived.

They hadn't.

Out over the river a flock of birds flew high up in a reverse 3 pattern.

They began a slow walk back.

Seacoal and sand underfoot.

Beach Buoy finished off his coffee as the headed back.

They headed back to the van.

 An imagined Post Card from Seaton Carew.

Having a lovely time.

Hadn't brought enough clothes so went to the launderette this morning.

Been a bit foggy and poured down before lunch.

It's brighter now. 

Sat  on promenade writing Post Cards.

Postbox near B&B.

BEACH BUOY.

27, MARCH 2022 THREE HOUR CIRCULAR WALK.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog set off on a circular walk at 1-24 p.m.

He cut through the newer estate and headed for Tees Rd. 

He found a permissive path that ran almost hidden alongside the road.

He won't be using it again.

Lots of fly tipped rubbish and a dead rat has put him off.

They headed onto Old Zinc Road.

Unsurprisingly this once led to a Zinc Works.

It also leads directly to the beach.

Beach Buoy looked across the fields to the not so distant Seaton Carew.

How things must have been years ago . The two villages perhaps suspicious of one another?

Sadly more fly tipped rubbish but also nature.

Bees buzzed.

Skylarks larked about as they sang.

It was glorious weather, like summer.

The was a lovely refreshing breeze blowing head on down the road directly from the sea.  

Through a locked gate and Old Zinc Road turns to sand.

A ship headed out into the open sea.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog walked to the driftwood shelter at Snook Point.

Its the law if the tide allows.

Driftwood Artwork.

Another of life's goals.

Snooks sea pottery.

 Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed back towards Seaton Sands.

It was  3-27.p.m when they reached 

Stubborn Dog Stack.

"Afternoon Mate."

He patted 

THE

stone.

He added some stones that he had collected near to the dune edge.

After a while...

"See you mate .

They headed back.

They ambled along. 

No rush.

No need.

 Another Dog was worn out 

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL 27, MARCH 2022.

Beach Buoy woke and rose at 5-40 a.m.

The phone's clock had gone an hour ahead automatically.

He made a coffee for there and then, plus a couple of thermal flasks for later.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached the beach at 6-38 a.m.

Sunrise was at 6-50.

 

A family sat on the beach, surrounding a small beach bonfire as they watched the sun come up.

No sooner had the Sun cleared the horizon, the top of it began to enter the low cloud.

The tide was well out.

There was a chill on the air.

Cold hands went into pockets.

Happy dogs were down at the water's edge.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog walked the strand line.

The beach looked very quiet to the north.

They continued south.

The sound of breaking waves to the left with skylarks and a couple of vocal magpies to the right.

The Sun broke free of the low cloud.

The 7 a.m. club appeared in the distance.

Beach Buoy gathered some suitable stack stones as he walked.

"Morning Mate."

Beach Buoy added the stones.

He patted

THE 

stone.

They spent some time with Stubborn Dog.

"See you mate."

They headed back to the beach.

The North and South Gares, so close yet so far away.

A cloud that looked like a splash.

They checked Sand Martin Corner; none yet.

They headed over the Pier then down onto North Gare Beach.

Beach Buoy sat on a driftwood bench and drank coffee.

The Pilot Boat thud thuded it's way out of the river.

Snooks Skylarks sand a sweeter song.

As he sat, Beach Buoy recalled a dream from the night before.

There was a Fox, a very calm Fox.

He said " l'm just another type of Dog.

One of those dreams you want to go back to.

Beach Buoy had seen a real Fox on North Gare Beach a few years back.

It ran across the open beach early one morning, looking very exposed as he did so 

The light was beautiful.

The morning sun warmed the left side of Beach Buoy's face.

The colder morning air chilled the right side.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog made a move.

Beach Buoy searched the shingle as a ship came into the river with a Tug at the rear guiding it.

A crow watched on from a driftwood post that someone had planted in the sand.

There seemed to be an outbreak of people with little dogs.

Beach Buoy looked up to the Pier.

Silhouettes of people walked its length like slow moving counters on a giant abbacus.

Beach Buoy became a counter himself as he walked the Pier.

" Morning."

"Morning."

A  man with a black beard and two brown dog passed by.

Seaton Sands.

They headed down to that beach from the Pier.

They passed the tank traps.

Each changed in its own way from the square that the once were.

Three joggers had stopped just short of the tank traps 

They had one dog for company.

They all turned and headed north.

They stopped short of the grey rocks.

The stood throwing rocks, heavy rocks. It all seemed to be part of their exercise regime.

Others travelled at a slower pace.

Back at the van, Beach Buoy drank coffee Others towel dried beach soaked dogs.

An imagined Post Card from Seaton Carew.

Having a lovely time.

Sunny again.

Went out early as beach will be packed later.

Queues at fish shop will be massive.

May take a book and a flask and sit in one of the clock tower shelters.

BEACH BUOY.