Beach Buoy had set the alarm for 4-15 a.m
.
He woke at 3-28 a.m.
He laid thinking.
3-52 a.m. the first birdsong.
It was just after 4-30 when they set off . Street lights were turning off as they passed beneath.
They reached the beach at 4-38.
There was a slight breeze from the west.
The sound of the Golf Club grass cutters drifted across the sands.
There was one vehicle in the car park; a blue VW van.
It was parked end on to the dunes.
They headed for the sea .
A lone Oyster Catcher flew south as it whistled to
signify kick off.
The tide was more in than it was out.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog meandered from water's edge to the strand-line and back.
5-01 a.m. came and so did the Sun.
There were no breaking waves as such, just a slight rumble as sea met sand.
One of Beach Buoy's true mates showed up;
The Sea Serpent.
He's never let him down yet.
The beach was still theirs.
There are around 100,000 people in Hartlepool.
Beach Buoy was glad 99,999 didn't like very early beaches.
It lasted until 5-09 a.m.; others !
It was OK.
It was the land rover border collie couple.
They would usually have gone north but the seasonal dog ban sent them south.
They did a half beach before heading into the dune system.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog carried onto the stack.
Out of nowhere the sea became noticably louder, waves did break.
Beach Buoy picked up two large wet stones.
They climbed the dune edge up to the stack.
"Morning Mate."
Beach Buoy added the stones.
He patted
THE
stone.
It was 5-25 a.m.
Beach Buoy recalled past mornings, winter mornings when he would wait for daylight to come and join them on the beach.
Beach Buoy pulled out a thermal mug of coffee, a chocolate bar too.
A chocolate bar so thin that it looked as if it had been ran over by a three tonne truck.
By the time the coffee was drank, the tide had gone out enough to allow beach access to The North Gare Pier.
Just beyond the water's edge Little Terns squeaked their way along the shore.
They are the slightest of birds.
Beach Buoy turned to the dunes.
A Skylark was visible as it sang its heart out.
It hovered like a musical Kestrel, before falling to earth like dropped stone.
Beach access to North Gare Pier.
A Sand Martin did a fly past.
Beach Buoy stood and watched around six Sand Martins swoop and dive.
Beach Buoy wishes they knew just how very welcome the are.
They began to head back.
Off in the distance Beach Buoy spotted Hugo, the distant wave lady's dog.
The big dog came bounding over.
Beach Buoy gave the dig a neck scratch as he asked
"Have you been a good boy?"
"Hiya."
"Hiya.".. the distant wave lady had arrived.
They chatted an easy beach themed walk chat.
Beach Buoy reached into his Beach bag.
He had found two strand-line balls today.
He rolled one for Hugo.
" Thanks for the ball "
" No worries."
They went their separate ways.
The 7 a.m. club were next on the beach conveyor belt.
"Morning."
"Morning."
Their was a waggy spaniel in their number.
Beach Buoy rolled a ball towards the spaniel.
The dog gave chase eagerly.
They headed back to the van.
They drove north to near Newburn Bridge.
Beach Buoy had made a "spare" thermal mug of coffee.
Through the window of his 2003 van he could seen a new version .
Two paddle boarders headed north.
BEACH BUOY.
