Beach Buoy woke at 1-21 a.m.
He made a cup of tea.
He sat.
The first Gulls cried at 4 a.m. precisely.
It was still dark.
Beach Buoy put the kettle on. He made another cup of tea.
He started a Seaton Snooks Tearoom Out and About Card.
He, Another Dog and Borrowed Dog reached the beach car park at 5-36 a.m.
Street lights had been switching off as they headed for the beach.
The car park was silent.
There was a slight breeze from the west.
Low cloud lined the horizon.
Beach Buoy the Dogs descended the beach access ramp.
Two pairs of underpants and two towels were scattered around the bottom of the ramp.
It was mild.
The tide was well out.
Beach Buoy wore an Orange Hoodie.
His old coat was left in the van.
Beach Buoy could see a group of three or four people down near the grey rocks.
A man with a strange running style and an orange top ran down the access ramp.
He ran like he was off to give someone a message rather than just jogging.
As often happens, the low cloud claimed the sunrise.
Those that were up at they grey rocks, two couples with their dogs returned to the car park.
Three Oyster Catchers flew by in the formation of wall-mounted pottery ducks.
Beach Buoy was tempted up to the strand-line by strips of sloping shingle.
Meanwhile the Orange Runner was doing very random stops and starts.
The Sun lingered behind the low cloud.
Finally, The Sun appeared.
Mari, the big friendly poodle came along with her sidekick, Wallace.
Mari was giving a good shoulder scratch/ rub. She repaid Beach Buoy with a friendly lick on the side of his face.
The 7 a m. Club walked southwards along the water's edge.
Mari and Wallace ran to join them, Mari led the way.
As the Sun shone, Beach Buoy walked the strand-line, whilst his sunshine shadow chose the dune edge route.
The Sandy Slope that leads to Stubborn Dog Stack.
"Morning Mate."
It was 6-23 a.m.
Beach Buoy added some stones.
He patted
THE
stone.
Beach Buoy drank a wobbly driftwood plank coffee.
The 7 a.m. club returned North on the beach below.
A distant,
"Morning Paul!"
crossed from sea to stack.
A "Morning!" rebounded back.
Time to move on.
"See you mate."
Beach Buoy and the dogs headed south.
The 7 a.m. club were heading south for the second time today.
They had reinforcements.
Mari the poodle took the opportunity to return to Beach Buoy for a second shoulder rub of the day.
The dune at the south end of the beach looked splendid.
A lady sat on one of the highest dune heights.
She had had taken her hat off.
She cupped her hands as she faced the Sun.
She rubbed her face as though washing with warm water.
She replaced her hat, then was gone.
Dune edge Tank Traps.
Up on the North Gare Pier, a hopeful fisherman fished.
Clouds and dune edges reminded Beach Buoy of continental drift.
A jigsaw breaking up, pieces losing one another.
Still a good fit but maybe too far apart.
Beach Buoy finished the coffee.
He turned to head back.
It was 6-58 a.m.
The beach to the north looked deserted.
Beach Buoy and the dogs walked the water's edge.
Beach Buoy paused and faced the morning Sun.
He too "washed" his face in sunlight with cupped hands.
They drifted from the water's edge, the more they returned to the north.
Around half a dozen people were on the beach ahead.
Team Muzzled Dog travelled southwards at a distance.
A couple with a dog called
"Bruno, Bruno, Bruno!"
walked by the water's edge.
The Beachcombing Border Collie couple walked the strand-line, chatting and stopping as they walked.
Team Mick Aston Jumper stood chatting to a lady, a beach regular with her two dogs.
Comings and goings.
Beach Buoy and the dogs were going for now.
He gave the dogs a drink at the van before lighting the kettle for a drink of his own.
He made and half drank a coffee before nodding off as he rested on an arm.
A loud noise woke him
It was the man collecting the Sea Tax from the parking machine.
Coins cascading into a yin or bucket had woken him.
He sat.
The side door was part open.
Chocolate Pudding's mam was passing with her new pup, Purdy.
"Morning."
"Morning Paul."
Beach Buoy slid the van door open.
Purdy excitedly jumped in.
The dogs sniffed the owners chatted.
"Do you still do your blog?"
"Yes."
Beach Buoy went onto explain the blog and people's name.
He informed her that her old friend Rosebud was Chocolate Pudding in the Blog.
(with custard.) if wearing the RNLI yellow raincoat.
He wrote down the blog address.
They said goodbye.
8-25 a.m.
Excited children ran down the access ramp with buckets and spades in hand.
A tall man passed with one Yorkshire Terrier.
He was one of some of the beach regulars that don't normally feature on the blog.
He did today.
He always walked with two dogs, today it was one.
The beach, a place were the passing of time is shown by the dogs who no longer walk it's sand.
We all miss them so much.
Our companions.
Little friends with hearts of gold.
They walk with us in spirit if not in reality.
"Just a Dog?"
No chance!
BEACH BUOY.
