Beach Buoy woke at 4-40 a.m.
Yesterday was hot, his hayfever had been bad
He was wiped out.
He was so weary that he was just going to do a Morrissey and spend the day in bed.
He knew he wouldn't find sleep.
The lure of the sea won after a while.
He was up.
He put a carton of milk and Another Dog in the van.
They set off for the short journey to the beach.
The high fence that had once surrounded the Golf Club had blown down a few months earlier in a storm.
The replacement fence was much smaller.
The Wind Turbines looked if they were closer, the dunes, the beach and the sea beyond, all felt a shorter walk away.
It was 6-08 a.m. when they reached the beach car park.
The Sun was bright.
They headed for the Promenade.
There was a playing card lying face down on the edging grass that ran alongside the Promenade.
It was like beach Tarot.
Beach Buoy turned the card over with his foot.
What card would it be?
"Hopefully not the Ace of Spades."
thought Beach Buoy.
KING OF SPADES.
A near miss.
They headed towards that bright sun and a sparkling sea.
Poo Bags!
Beach Buoy had left the Poo Bags in the van. They headed back
Whilst at the van, Beach Buoy spotted the man who walks the perimeter of the car park, usually wearing headphones.
Today the man had gone undercover, choosing to wear earphones.
They returned to the beach access ramp.
The distant wave lady and her dog were just leaving.
"Hiya."
"Hiya."
"I came down for 5. I have some driftwood that l sit on. l call it my seat of contemplation."
"I enjoy a sit and think too as l call it."
answered Beach Buoy.
"Its soooooooo nice, isn't it?" came the reply.
"Enjoy your walk."
"Enjoy your day."
They headed off, one up the ramp, the other down.
They headed for the sea.
The tide was well in.
The sea lapped gently onto the beach.
A man passed, heading south with his white dog
Another man passed, heading north with an invisible dog.
A litter pick grab was raised in acknowledgement on the dune edge.
"Morning Paul!"
"Morning." replied Beach Buoy , raising an arm in lieu of a litter pick grab.
It was the 7 am club, clearing up after the previous night's hoardes of teenagers."
The man with the white dog was heading back north.
He stopped to chat.
His white dog was a Border Collie.
White apart from a spot of black on it's tail and a black eye.
It stood there looking at Beach Buoy as if to say.
"You should see the other fella"
It was a perfect cartoon black eye.
"He's friendly. It's the daughter's dog.
I'm minding it while they are away "
"Enjoy your walk."
"You too."
They continued south stopping once more to chat to the owner of the Very Very Wet Retriever.
His dog was in the sea ensuring it's very very wet status was safe.
They chatted.
They said farewell.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed up to Stubborn Dog Stack.
"Morning Mate."
Beach Buoy added some stones.
He patted
THE
stone.
Beach Buoy thought Stubborn Dog thoughts.
"See you mate."
They returned to the beach.
It was 7 a.m.
Bang on high tide.
A jogger approached.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog stepped away from the sea, onto the softer , uneven sand.
Giving the jogger the firmer, flatter sand.
Up on the dune edge Beach Buoy collected up broken bottles, remnants of last night's dune goings on.
He headed for the promenade bins.
A paddle boarder's VW Transporter.
The van owner stood at the water's edge.
He was waiting for two other paddle boarders.
They were in the car park, inflating their colourful boards.
Shortly afterwards the two men were heading for the access ramp.
The men carried their boards as if off to compete in an extreme ironing completion.
Promenade sign highlighted a beach issue.
Boots came off.
Pan of milk went on.
The village church bells rang out for 8 a.m.
It was 7-56.
Beach Buoy drank coffee as Mr Gunn/Nunn arrived with Alfie, his smashing little dog.
They headed off for their circular walk.
BEACH BUOY.
