NEW YEARS EVE 2024. SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.

The last ever beach of 2024.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog had parked up in Seaton Park Car Park.

It was 8 a.m.

They crossed the road to The Esplanade.

It was still quite windy.

Still a fair amount of shifting sand on the north end of the beach.

A blood orange sky glowed to the south.

Beach Buoy decided to walk along The Esplanade to its end before joining the beach.

One third of Team Mick Aston Jumper and The Litter Pick Lady were chatting.

"Morning."

"Morning."

"Morning."

They went down the southern most access ramp.

Beach Buoy headed north a short distance to check on the wreck.

Suddenly, the wind seemed to double in strength.

They headed south.

The beach to the south, alongside the dunes was calmer, more sheltered.

Sea pottery.

A Lone Timber from another wreck.

Only ever seen on really low tides.

The sea was wild but the water's edge and it's damp sand minimised the problem of any shifting wind-blown sands.

They began an angled walk towards Stubborn Dog Stack.

A man and his Labrador climbed up The Big Slope.

"Morning Mate."

They had travelled the low level route.

It was 8-57 a.m.

Beach Buoy added some stones.

He patted

THE 

stone.

He sat on the double driftwood bench.

He thought about the year ending.

Tomorrow his friend will have died last year.

He thought about the year ahead.

He wondered if he would be allowed to see all of it?

Would he sit here a year from now?

What's in store?

"See you mate."

They returned to the beach.

They returned to the north.

The man who once had four dogs headed south.

"Morning."

" Morning."

"Bit calmer this end."

BEACH CODE.

HL 28.

SOUTH END OF ESPLANADE.

BEACH CODE.

HL 27.

SEATON CAREW CENTRE 

COACH PARK 

what three words 

///wake.tens.rise

BEACH CODE.

HL 26

SEATON CAREW CENTRE 

CLOCK TOWER 

what three words

///drank.vets.slips

BEACH CODE

HL 25

SEATON CAREW CENTRE 

ROCKET HOUSE CARE PARK

what three words 

///dress.insect.gain

BEACH CODE.

HL 24

SEATON CAREW CENTRE 

SPLASH PAD.

what three words

///newest.item.army

BEACH CODE.

HL 23

SEATON CAREW CENTRE 

STATION LANE

what three words

///counts.vibrate.stove

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SNOOKS TEA ROOM OUT AND ABOUT CARD.

 

Happy New Year 2025.

To you.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SNOOKS TEA ROOM OUT AND ABOUT CARD.

 

TIME TO TAKE SHELTER.

BEACH BUOY.

MONDAY. 30 DEC. 2024. SEATON SEA FRONT, HARTLEPOOL.

 Beach Buoy sat drinking coffee.

He could hear the wind blow.

Another Dog was sound asleep.

The wind said stay.

The orange streaks in the sky said run yo the sea.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog parked up in Seaton Park Car Park at 7-56 a.m.

They passed The 9 Anchors Pub on the way to The Esplanade.

Rita the Meter Maid was on her usual walk.

No change there.

One look at the beach confirmed it was too windy for Another Dog.

Dry wind-blown sand was snaking all along the beach.

A family and their dog headed into the blowing sand.

Back to The Esplanade.

Beach Buoy headed south along The Esplanade.

Empty Drink Cans rolled along from south to north.

The combined clatter of the dented cans made them sound like a marching band.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog climbed the steps at the sides of the Closer Tower.

The platform gave a good view.

The Tower itself, gave good protection from the cold wind.

Beach Buoy returned to the van.

He drove to a point with sea view.

Some chose to stand on the beach with their sand-blasted dogs.

Even some of The Little People ventured out onto The Esplanade Wall.

9 a.m.

Sea tax starts.

Gone...

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SNOOKS TEA ROOM OUT AND ABOUT CARD.

 

HIDING.

BEACH BUOY 

SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL. 29, DEC. 2024.

 

Beach Buoy and Another Dog parked up in Seaton Park Car Park.

It was 8 a.m.

They headed to The Esplanade.

Not Beach Buoy was on the other side of the road.

They were heading to The Esplanade too.

One change.

Not Beach Buoy was wearing a black coat.

Maybe a new blog name required?

Beach Buoy headed down the beach access ramp near to the beach huts.

Not Beach Buoy had gone on ahead.

It was 8-04.

The Village Church Bells rang for 8.

Not Beach Buoy in the distance.

He doesn't dawdle.

There was a breeze from the south west.

It was quite mild.

A sauna tent had been set up against The Esplanade Wall.

Three sauna swimmers had already set off for the sea.

It was a fair walk.

The tide was well out.

Down in front of the Village Green, Brass Monkey swimmers were already in the sea.

The sky looked lovely.

Early beaches are the best of all beaches.

Two plus their dog down by the water's edge.

The Bus Station Clock Tower.

Y I Man.

Team one black ear were up early the strand-line.

The two men began to walk to one another.

They shook hands.

"Merry Christmas."

"You too."

They discussed Christmas.

The Borrowed Dog was his daughter's.

A Big Black Labrador.

The dog only usually has street walks so it was loving the freedom of the beach 

Don't we all?

Hugo, the dog with one black ear came for a neck scratch.

Beach Buoy obliged.

They went their separate ways.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed to The Seaton Carew Wreck.

The wreck today.

Sea pottery in the shingle.

The sunrise cleared the hills to the south.

It was 8-36.

Fog yesterday.

Sunglasses today.

The sunrises have already began to move closer to the sea.

Bit by bit.

Day by Day.

Longer Arcs.

Longer Days. 

A lady and a coffee walked the water's edge.

DURHAM seaglass in the shingle.

Beach Buoy left it up at Stubborn Dog Stack.

One half of Team Muzzled Dog jogged northwards with her Border Collie.

They gave distant waves.

Beach Buoy took the low level route to Stubborn Dog Stack.

"Morning Mate."

It was 8-46.

Beach Buoy added some stones.

Five.

He patted 

THE

stone.

He sat on the double driftwood bench watching the sea and the beach below.

A couple searched the shingle as they headed northwards.

Down by the sea, a man wrote a message in the sand with a dragged heel.

He raised his phone to take a photograph of the beach art and himself.

Beach Buoy wondered if was the same person who had yesterday drawn a certain part of the male anatomy with a phone number too?

A lady talked on her phone as she threw a ball for her Doodle Dog. 

She had a canny throw on her.

The man who marches to cancelled meetings marched south.

A Border Collie chased a Crow.

A Labrador chased a ball.

"See you mate."

Beach Buoy and Another Dog slid down onto the beach below.

Always good to see sunshine shadows.

So much better than street light shadows.

Mr Gunn/Lunn passed by at a distance with Excellent Dog Alfie.

They shared Distant Waves.

Two metal detectorists scanned the strand-line.

Another two metal detectorists scanned the strand-line.

And yet another two metal detectorists scanned the strand-line.

Just looking out to sea...

The marching man overtook heading back north.

Yer another late change of venue.

The wreck once more 

Beach Buoy headed back to the van.

BEACH BUOY.

OWL, NORTH GARE AND SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL. 28, DEC. 2024.

 After seeing Short-eared Owls on Seaton Common on Boxing Day, Beach Buoy returned with binoculars and Another Dog.

There is a faded information board at the start of the walk.

As he took a photograph, a man and his Boxer Dog were just ending their walk.

"If you are interested, there are three Owls down there.

Two near the car park and one more this way."

Beach Buoy thanked him.

They went their separate ways.

The path that leads to North Gare.

It runs alongside the Golf Club.

The Steel River Curlew artwork.

Someone had left this on the Curlew.

Real Curlews and Oyster Catchers were to the left, walking the golf course.

How now Brown Cow.

Beach Buoy watched a Short-eared Owl for around five minutes.

They crossed the golf club.

Another information board.

They were on part of The English Coastal Path.

They headed for The Blue Lagoon.

It's also called North Gare Beach.

The tide was high.

It was 2-15 p.m.

Beach Buoy sat on a driftwood log, making notes in his beach book.

Others say on driftwood logs too.

Driftwood.

Beach Buoy had choice to make.

Head back along the Cinder Path or beach.

Beach Buoy chose beach.

They climbed the remember this slope, crossing over the Pier. 

Above Sand Martin Corner.

They headed northwards.

Along the top of the dunes for awhile then onto the beach as soon as they were able.

Along the beach at base of the dunes, behind the grey rocks.

The Sea Serpent Marker.

"Afternoon Mate."

Beach Buoy placed five Blue Lagoon stones onto the stack.

He patted 

THE

stone.

It was 2-57.

The beach below.

Two ladies were heading towards the stack from the south, hand in hand.

"See you mate."

Beach Buoy and Another Dog dropped down onto the beach.

The tide was going out.

The beach become wider minute by minute.

Team Muzzled Dog were having an afternoon walk.

All members were present.

Dasher aka Muzzled Dog was back.

She was dashing quicker than ever up and down the beach.

She had made her beach return on Boxing Day.

They had a nice chat before going their separate ways.

BEACH BUOY.