Beach Buoy parked up at the Marina at 1-35pm.
He and Stubborn Dog walked the short distance to Middleton Beach.
The tide was low, so experience told Beach Buoy that there would be beach access from the south end, near the new flats and old Smallcraft's Club.
They passed the spot where his Dad's Cabin used to be; now just the corner of a car park.
Soon they were on the black and gold beach of Middleton Sands.
The Sun appeared as if to say
"Lights, Camera, Action!'
The large wall to the left would be marked with a chalk-drawn goal for
a young Beach Buoy to play football.
Sometimes with friends, usually alone.
If it was a lone match he would draw a chalk Goalkeeper; Chalky White.
There always seemed to be pieces of chalk on the beach back then.
He was signed from Lowry F C in Lancashire.
The keeper was good at blocking but rubbish at set pieces, but still went on to win man of the match on many occasions.
He was later given a free transfer to Blackboard United..
Beach Buoy, with his memories and Stubborn Dog in tow, headed down to the pier.
Sea coal as black as a blackboard ran the northern side of the pier.
They carried on to the North Sea.
Beach Buoy has a bit of 'previous." about over- repeating stories involving bridges.
But here goes.....
Many years ago, Beach Buoy and Father were heading out on a fishing trip.
They had left Middleton Harbour, which lies on the other side of the Pier.
They had to collect someone from the ferry dam, that lay to the south.
The tide was high and Beach Buoy's dad took a short cut in the boat, under the iron footbridge that connects the two parts of the Pier.
At the the time they both knew, without a word been spoken that this was a remember this moment.
His Dad was no fool.
It looks dangerous now looking back seeing the exposed rocks.
But his Dad knew the Beach like the back of his hand.
They walked North along the water's edge.
Seaton Carew lay just across the, now sparkling bay.
They beachcombed as they walked.
They were a number of people milling around who looked like old Middletonians, recalling memories older than Beach Buoy's.
A family appeared, walking down the jetty.
It looked like Grandad and Grandma with grand children and Great gran in tow, with linked arms to her daughter.
They reached the beach.
The older lady who had looked like she was unable to walk unaided, was soon off along the strand line collecting shells and the like as the others all wandered down to the water's edge.
She was child once more.
Beach Buoy could hear the clink and clunk of seashells as the lady walked by.
The view across to Hartlepool Headland from the Middleton Jetty.
When he took the above photograph, Beach Buoy was stood feet away from where the photographer was stood for the photograph below.
That's Beach Buoy off to look for finds to fill his bucket.
They headed back to the south end of the beach.
A couple of Marina boat owners walk their dog along the water's edge.
A protective brick wall hides interlocking steel work that runs this length of the beach.
Precarious Cabins, now in their third location.
Next stop the sea?
For square pegs.....
As they left they bumped into
(From two metres apart) a family with another old Middletonian, looking for his childhood they exchanged stories and the gent took great pleasure in recalling his younger days.
It was a vastly different place back then.
Back in the van Beach Buoy recorded the finds.
Lots of old building rubble down by the Jetty, as if they had thrown the houses of old Middleton into the sea.
It was bright down at the Marina.
A Dunkirk veteran being restored, selling take away coffee and tea to raise funds for the work to be done.
Later it was cycle ride along the front.
It was a bright but cold late evening.
Gritters had already been out spreading salt on the road surfaces.
BEACH BUOY.
