SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL 07 JAN 2022

Firstly an apology.

Computer says "No "

So blog been done for now on phone.

So maybe a different format. 

Until things are sorted.

It was an after-work beach visit.

It was 3-39 p.m. when they pulled into the car park.

There was a chilly breeze from the west.

It was a bright, fresh sunny afternoon.

They headed for the beach.

Strong winds had piled sand up on the beach side of the promenade wall. 

The council had removed it. 

If they don't, it acts as a ramp for more sand to clear the wall and head inland.

It was left a couple of years ago and the sea front almost turned into beach!

 

People stood by the water's edge.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed south.

A closed bracket ) slice of silver moon hung over the dunes. 

It glowed, even in daylight in the palest of light blue skies.

Two fishermen led the way south.

They eventually set up for beach fishing almost directly in front of Stubborn Dog Stack.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed to the water's edge as others chose the dune edge for company.

Two small black dogs chased one another in even increasing circles.

Loser becomes the shadow.

The sea had taken large chunks of dune edge.

Beach Buoy joined the dune system earlier than normal due to the height of the dune edge to the south end of the  beach.

He took some beach stones for 

Stubborn Dog Stack.

"Afternoon Mate."

He patted

THE

stone.

He added those that he had collected, before replacing around twenty which had been thrown from the stack.

They stayed a while. 

The beach fishermen were just below the dune edge, still setting up for their fishing adventure.

"See you mate."

They headed off, retracing their steps, leading to a safe drop down point onto the beach below.

In places the dune edge was as high as a house!

They headed back towards the van.

 The incoming tide claimed the beach almost as quickly as the darkness claimed the light.

 BEACH BUOY.

 

 

 

STUBBORN DOG BADGE.

Beach Buoy bought a Lhasa Apso Badge.

It looked more like Stubborn Dog than he could have imagined .

💔

BEACH BUOY.

THE MAGIC SHOP.

 There was a Magic Shop.

Opposite Seaton Carew Bus Station.

BEACH BUOY.

CRIMDON, 03 JAN 2022

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed a few miles up the coast for lunch in the van.

Coffee and a picnic for their picnic.

It was a blowy old day.

They headed south towards Hartlepool.

The beach was beyond the dunes.

"All beach walks should start like this."

 thought Beach Buoy.

Almost........

They walked a busy and blustery beach.

 They walked a different route back.

THE PEEBLES ON THE BEACH

A SPOTTERS GUIDE.

by 

CLARENCE ELLIS

Both The Original and a reprint of the book say this.

"There are Dumps of Ballast between

 CRIMDEN and HARTLEPOOL."

The mis-spelling of Crimson was not corrected.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL, 03 JAN 2022,

They reached the car park just after 7-30 a.m.

There was a fresh breeze blowing from the west.

A jogger entered the car park,

jogging and bobbing along with a headlight on his head.

Beach Buoy watched as the bobbing light travelled the car park before appearing on the promenade.

Mr Gunn/Nunn's car was already in the car park.

The occupants of that vehicle were out on the beach somewhere.

They set off.

They walked south, closer to the sea than the strand line.

The strand line had the Beach-Combing Border Collie Couple for company today.

The Border Collie was off rounding up imaginary sheep.

A woman in an Orange coat walked her dog.

A dog with no interest at all in imaginary sheep.

They headed for 

Stubborn Dog Stack.

Beach Buoy added some stones.

He patted 

THE 

stone.

"Morning Mate."

He looked around, many stones had been thrown from the stack.

Beach Buoy replaced them.

Why someone should want to go up to the stack and throw stones that were meant for the stack around was beyond Beach Buoy.

Some of those stones disturbed were quite large.

"See you Mate."

They headed back to the beach.

They glanced south but headed north.

They followed some footprints back to the village.

A man with two dogs  was up ahead, it was the dogs that they had met recently.

King Charles, the first and second.

They had a ball each today.

Their owner and Beach Buoy chatted briefly.

Then went their own ways.

 Some recent Bits and Bobs.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL, 02 JAN.2022 SUNDAY

Beach Buoy had been up ages.

He had been doing drawings at 5-30 a.m.

If it was Summer they would have been at the beach already.

Another Dog sat near the front door.

She likes to sleep there, in her pink bed.

But now she was looking at the thermal cup of coffee and Beach Buoy's beach notebook, wondering just when they were going to set off.

  

Beach Buoy faffed on, but eventually he and Another Dog were beach-bound.

They arrived in the car park at

7-35 a.m.

It was beginning to lighten a little.

No need for torches today.

A lady with a very large knitted hat walked the promenade.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed for the sea.

The tide was well out.

There was a breeze, a breeze much cooler than yesterday's.

Beach Buoy looked out across the sea.

Large lumpy clouds hung in the bay.

They headed south as a figure up in the dunes seemed to watch their walk progress?

They headed down to water's edge once they had passed around two hundred Gulls that were stood at the edge of the sea, waiting for more daylight, before setting off.

They walked the water's edge for a while, pausing to shout

"HAPPY NEW YEAR !" 

across to the Sea Serpent.

A distant wave later and they were heading for

 Stubborn Dog Stack.

Mr Gunn / Nunn was heading  along the beach, closer to the Strand line.

They had a brief half distant chat.

"See you later."

Beach Buoy gathered some beach stones.

"Morning Mate."

he added stones

he patted 

THE

stone.

He pulled up two hoods, it was more exposed up in the dunes.

The Beach Combing Border Collie Couple.

walked as far as the stack then headed back north.

Two Brightly Coloured Joggers jogged along.

They spoke loudly almost out of breath.

"So you are going to go at six?"

Increasing distance and the sound of the sea took the answer away.

"See you mate."

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed  for the North Gare Pier.

A dog-less man headed north.

They watched as a small red ship left Port.

They headed back.

The sun rose above the Pier.

Shafts of sunlight radiated up into the sky.

Their sunshine shadows walked ahead as they dawdled along the stretches of shingle looking for finds.

As they left the beach, the Village Church Bells rang for 9 a.m.

 

They sat in the van a while.

It had been fresh and blustery walk.

BEACH BUOY.

THE CABIN.

Beach Buoy's Dad used to have a cabin at Middleton.

It had a sea view, a work bench and a cooker.

It isn't there anymore.

That spot is just the corner of a car park down on the Marina.

It would be nice to go sit on the bench that he put there for others to sit, rest and watch the sea in Middleton Bay.

That's his Dad with Duke the Dog.

 BEACH BUOY.

THE FISHING TRIP.

BEACH BUOY.

GUIDED TOUR

 BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL, NEW YEARS DAY. 2022.

 

Beach Buoy and Another Dog left the house at 7 a.m.

It was such a mild day.

Beach Buoy could see the Wind Turbine lights, through a gap in the houses.

The red lights appeared to flash.

They are a constant red light, which meant the blades must be spinning past, to give the illusion of flashing lights?

There wasn't a breath of wind in the street.

 The exposed  Bay was a different kettle of fish.

As they drove into the dark car park, a man was walking the promenade.

Beach Buoy switched to side lights so the man didn't feel uncomfortable, having his walk illuminated or any pressure to start singing

"Give me the moonlight."

 as the van's updated bright headlights had him in their glare.

They parked up as the council sweeper went by in the darkness with orange lights flashing.

A cyclist rested against the promenade, looking out to a dark beach.

A couple parked up nearby.

They headed for the access ramp with a torch and dog each.

It was mild but the couple were dressed up for blizzard conditions.

Beach Buoy would be doing the same.

Out in the bay marker buoys flashed.

Red lights of the Wind Turbines seemed to flash as spinning blades circled.

The cyclist set off along the Promenade in a southerly direction.

Just after setting off passed the lady who fell off her bike previously and her walking companion.

"Morning."

"Morning."

Beach Buoy and Another Dog set off.

The couldn't see the sea but it sounded well out.

The lights of the couple who had set off with two dogs acted like  a marker for the height of the tide.

Unless they had gone for paddle.

The headed south, just beyond the most recent strand line.

There was a very mild breeze blowing from the south west.

It drifted across the beach, then out to sea.

What light that there was, reflected on the wet sands on the low tide beach.

They headed up to 

Stubborn Dog Stack.

"Happy New Year Mate."

It was 7-54 a.m.

Beach Buy placed some beach stones that he had collected onto the stack.

He patted

THE

stone.

Beach Buoy scooped up Another Dog for a cuddle.

They both looked out to sea.

Only one of them sniffed the air.

"See you mate."

They headed off.

Once back on the beach they headed south.

A faint orange glow appeared over behind the river.

Daylight  had set off.

The sea was calm.

The  waves that did break were doing so in longer lengths than normal.

Other waves waited in an orderly queue.

A lone Oyster Catcher travelled the water's edge, heading north, whistling as he did so.

A Gull drifted from the dunes.]

It seemed to hover near Beach Buoy and Another Dog for quite a while; longer than what would be considered the norm.

Perhaps it was just old friends in a different guise saying "Hi."?

They stood near the world war two tank traps.

Sand Martin Corner stretched out behind.

The mild breeze felt like spring.

Beach Buoy closed his eyes and imagined that he could hear the Skylarks singing high above the dunes.

Imaginary Sand Martins twisted and turned in time to the sound of birdsong.

Time to head back to the van and reality.

They left the Tank Traps and grey rocks behind.

The headed for the water's edge to wish the Sea Serpent all of the best for 2022.

The creature wasn't around .

Too early this morning after last night's celebrations in 

The Neptune Bar.

He is a popular chap with the mermaids and barmaids too.

Daylight had come, as were other beach goers.

A family stood at the water's edge making memories.

Full sun didn't show this morning.

It had been a lovely way to start the day.

BEACH BUOY.