Wednesday, 6 October 2021
Monday, 4 October 2021
MONDAY... A DAY OFF. SEATON SANDS 04 OCT 2021.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached the beach car park
at 6-43 a.m.
It was a day off.
It was another day off.
It was still quite dark, not quite half light yet.
A figure walked by, his face illuminated by his mobile phone screen,
headphones around neck as he chose a playlist.
A man walked by at the back of the van sporting beige shorts, beige shirts and a beige bald head.
Beach Buoy had parked the van next to Mr Gunn / Nunn's car.
Beach Buoy scooped up Another Dog.
He locked the van.
There was a fresh strong breeze from the south west, almost a wind but not quite.
To the north, along the sea front the street lights still twinkled.
They headed for the wet sand.
Great for the sun's reflections, presuming that it was going to show up at all.
Silhouettes of people and dogs were down by the water's edge.
Beach Buoy recognised the outline of the Very Very Wet Labrador and its owner.
If he had been in any doubt, the dog went running into the sea for a top-up.
Luckily they continued north this morning.
Someone else was in for a soaking off the dripping but friendly dog.
The tide was low enough to leave the Seaton Carew Wreck exposed.
They carried on.
The 7 a.m. club approached.
Another Dog reached for her clipboard.
Chocolate Pudding came running over to say hello.
Her owner started the Another Dog ball rolling.
"Aw she's coming on."
"She's Gorgeous ."✅
"So Fluffy."✅
Another Dog scrubbed cute from the list and replaced it with
"Coming on."
an age thing she supposed.
She put the clipboard away and bounced and bounced and bounced.
Chocolate Pudding had a word with her about calming down.
It was fine.
"See you."
"See you later."
They continued south.
A Gull went to investigate what a Crow was pecking at on the strand line.
The Crow sent it packing.
The Gull ran to the water's edge crying like a child who had had their toy taken off them.
Crows don't mess about.
A figure in red walked the heights of the dunes like some dune folk warrior guarding the dune castle.
Dune folk and beach folk are very different.
They passed seaweed on the strand line, again to looked like a discarded camouflaged jacket.
They surrender.
They headed for
Stubborn Dog Stack,
beach stones in hand.
Nine today.
"Morning Mate."
He added the stones.
He patted
THE
stone.
As it he did, the sun cleared the cloud that had hidden the horizon.
It was 7-17 a.m.
Beach Buoy watched the sun rise above the cloud.
"See you mate."
He waved.
They headed back to the beach.
Solar and wind power together...
The sea serpent marker.
The creature hasn't been spotted for a while...
They headed north but Beach Buoy kept looking back to the sun.
They walked the water's edge.
They reached the access ramp.
An elderly man was up ahead with a young pup.
The man's coat was hanging off his back.
The young dogs said hello
The old men said hello.
" I was born just down there."
said the older of the two men as he pointed north to the sea front.
"There was a woman just gone in the dunes with two dogs.
She let one crap and just left it."
Dune folk really are very different.
BEACH BUOY.
Sunday, 3 October 2021
Saturday, 2 October 2021
SATURDAY 02 OCT. 2021 SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog set off for the beach under the gaze of a C Moon.
He hoped that the day wouldn't turn out to be L7.
They drove to the beach car park.
The headlights of the van illuminated the reflective strips a promenade cyclist was wearing, as part of his high visibility workman-type coat.
The cyclist resembled a cycling road safety sign.
A Bakery delivery lorry was parked up, waiting for the shop to open.
Beach Buoy had brought a freshly toasted teacake and a thermal mug of coffee.
He ate.
He drank.
He waited for a little more light.
The silhouette of a man passed by in the not quite half light.
Beach Buoy reckoned that he knew who it was by the distinctive walk.
Although the light or lack of it, meant that Beach Buoy couldn't tell if headphones were involved or not at this stage.
More silhouettes were down by the water's edge.
He had spotted the distant wave lady's car.
He presumed the silhouettes were that of her and the early 7 a.m. club?
A ship slipped out of the river under the cover of partial darkness.
The ship was keener to leave than the night seemed to be?
The ship had a long line of lights illuminating its length.
It could easily have been mistaken for a broken section of Pier, that had been sent to sea after a storm.
As he ate his butter-soaked toasted teacake, he could see that low cloud had claimed any chance of a free range egg yoke of a sunrise appearing over the horizon.
It would be a hidden one once more.
The hot coffee was going down well.
Like oil , lubricating a rusting, ageing engine.
By the time breakfast was done the light had increased.
The " Section of Pier." had cleared the bay's wind turbines and was out in open water, heading northwards.
The recent silhouette with recognisable walk passed by on another lap.
We can now confirm headphones were spotted.
Beach Buoy was readying to set off.
The distant wave lady was already returning to her car.
She gave a not too distant wave in the direction of the van.
Beach Buoy gave a not too distant wave back.
Then she was gone.
They set off on their own clockwork route and routine, like many of the others out at this this time of day, at this type of location.
A cyclist had stopped alongside the waiting Bakery Lorry.
He and the driver chatted loudly, their voices drifted across the car park and out to sea.
They reached beach.
There was a fresh breeze from the south west.
Beach Buoy had opted for no coat but had gone double T-shirt for the first time in a long time.
There was a glow to the south as if someone had left a furnace door open, albeit a furnace hidden behind a curtain of cloud.
To the north the Seaton Carew Wreck sat in pool of its own making.
Gulls were dotted along the water's edge .
Clockwork Crows pecked at the strand-line, as they do.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed south, as they do.
The sunrise's light show peaked for a minute or two.
A red glow before a visage-like, fade to grey.
The 7 a.m. club passed at distance
"Morning."
Beach Buoy said as he waved.
"Morning Paul."
came the reply
as did a return wave multiplied by three.
Mari the Big Friendly Poodle came over to say hello.
She doesn't stay as long now that Another Dog has turned up.
Stubborn Dog was a boy.
Another Dog is a girl.
The large poodle seems slightly put out by this?
Beach Buoy collected beach stones as they headed for
Stubborn Dog Stack.
Paw prints ran to greet them.
"Morning Mate."
He placed the beach stones.
He patted
THE
stone.
Things dictated that they couldn't stay long this morning.
No sit and think time.
No time for Another Dog to practise dog lead knots around Beach Buoy's ageing legs.
"See you mate."
Beach Buoy waved from the beach.
They began a not so slow walk back.
Crossing sea coal, sands and even some shingle in a few small random spots.
A dusting of the sea coal marked the most recent strand line.
Three Crows landed to join three others.
More were up ahead,
another seven to be precise.
How many crows make a murder Beach Buoy wondered?
They headed to the van.
The excellent Mr Gunn / Nunn was just setting off on his beach walk.
"Morning."
"Hello Fluffy." answered Mr Gunn / Nunn.
Beach Buoy had to presume that he was talking to Another Dog?
Or perhaps it was Beach Buoy's turn to pull out the clipboard?
They chatted.
They Left.
A man and dog leaving as another pair arrived, like some beach relay team.
Time to go.
Stuff to do.
BEACH BUOY.
Friday, 1 October 2021
FRIDAY 01 OCT 2021. SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.
They reached the car park at 6-20 p.m.
"They", being Beach Buoy and Another Dog.
Beach Buoy wore sunglasses for the journey there.
Headlights would be on for the journey back.
By the time they touched sand, the Sun was already trying a low cloud on for size.
The wind was from the west.
The tide was way out.
Out to sea, the horizon looked as clear as a bell.
It would be perfect for a free range egg yoke sunrise, but a day was ending not beginning.
Sunset was the name of the game.
They headed for
Stubborn Dog Stack.
"Evening Mate."
he patted
THE
stone.
He added four beach stones.
It was 6-48 p.m.
Beach Buoy watched as the Pilot boat left the River with a grey cargo vessel behind.
The Pilot would be onboard guiding the larger vessel.
He would return to his own boat once they had reached open water.
"See you tomorrow Mate."
He waved.
He really did.
The began a slow walk back.
The beach was very quiet.
They crossed the wet sand.
Another Sitting Duck for photographers.
The headed back to the van.
The pilot boat headed back to the river.
The Cargo Ship headed North..
Beach Buoy.
THURSDAY 30 SEPT. 2021. SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL.
It was 6-15 p.m.
The car park was fairly empty.
There was a LWB VW Van nearby.
It had rained earlier in the day.
Now, it was mild and overcast.
There was a slight breeze from the west.
There was a Dad and Lad down by the water's edge.
Beach Buoy wandered down to the Seaton Carew Wreck.
It is a Sitting Duck at the moment for anyone wanting to take a photograph.
Add a filter and it
looks like you know what you are doing.
They headed up to
Stubborn Dog Stack.
It was 6-45.
Beach Buoy added some beach stones.
"Evening Mate."
he patted
THE
stone.
They stayed a while.
Light was fading.
Grrrrrrr.
"See you mate."
They headed back.
A lady walked the dune edge with a Labrador.
Poor light and distance made it impossible to say if it was a wet or dry Labrador.
A Young man overtook them as they headed back to the north.
Back to the van.
He was wearing a Pink Hoodie and was carrying an Umbrella.
By 7p.m. the light had faded more.
BEACH BUOY.
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