Beach Buoy and Another Dog set off walking, beach-bound at 3-36 p.m.
It had poured down for much of the day.
Once it has stopped, the last of the day's sunlight lit the clouds like spilt paint.
Strong gusts of wind blew across the football and cricket pitches.
As the wind blew through fencing and tree branches, it brought a soundtrack of a stormy night.
With the soundtrack came an imagined narrative, playing only in Beach Buoy's head......
AS STORM INCREASED THEY NOTICED A TIRED LOOKING SHACK AHEAD.
THEY HEADED FOR IT.
IT WOULD PROVIDE SHELTER AND HOPEFULLY SAFETY FROM THE STORM.
HE HOPED THAT THE RICKETY STRUCTURE WOULD BE STABLE ENOUGH TO LAST THE STORM.
THEN FROM THE BACK OF THE SHACK A NOISE.
A HORSE SHUFFLED INTO WHAT LIGHT THERE WAS.
THE SHACK WAS IN FACT A STABLE.
WITH LUCK IT WOULD BE A STABLE STABLE......
Back in the real world, the wind had almost blown to the Promenade.
Six cars were scattered around the vast car park.
3-53.
Feet and paws touched sand.
Out in the Bay, a Large ship headed for the river.
Behind it, one a quarter of it's size did the same.
They headed south.
As they walked, Beach Buoy returned some well-worn sea pottery pieces to the sands for others to collect.
Another Dog sniffed at a piece of driftwood.
She was reluctant to move on.
Beach Buoy ate a square of chocolate and had a drink of hot coffee as he waited.
Up ahead, a figure dropped down from a dune sandy slope onto the beach.
The figure and it's dog began to head North towards Beach Buoy and Another Dog.
The sea was only breaking into a single wave as it approached the beach.
As the wave crest formed, the wind whipped away it's upper curve.
Up above the dunes edge, a Lone Gull struggled to fly into the headwind.
Eventually it gave up.
It dropped a wing and was taken out over the sea.
They continued south.
Beach Buoy toe-kicked some larger shingle pieces as they walked.
Much of the smaller shingle had been covered by shifting sands.
They headed for the sandy slope.
Beach Buoy gathered some stones as Another Dog trotted around whilst on her extended lead.
By the time Beach Buoy began to climb the slope, Another Dog had reached top, had a pee and was busy back-kicking sand into Beach Buoy's face.
" Do you mind!"
said Beach Buoy.
"Afternoon Mate."
Beach Buoy added the stones.
He patted
THE
stone.
He drank coffee as he watch a Flock of Gulls try to head North, across the Bay.
A strong side wind was making it difficult.
They rose and fell like a raging sea as they progressed.
"See you mate."
They returned to the beach.
Dune Grass took on the appearance of a 1970's footballer's comb-over on a windy day.
They headed back.
A man had joined the beach from the south.
He and his three dogs marched ahead.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog climbed up a steep sandy bank.
An old crab pot marker had been used to stake a claim.
BEACH BUOY.
