Beach Buoy and Another Dog parked up at 6-34 p.m.
They headed for the beach access ramp.
The tall elderly gentleman with a tall elderly greyhound was heading up the ramp as they left the beach.
They had never spoken before, on the width of the beach.
Now they were funnelled into conversation by the narrowness of the ramp.
"Hello there." said Beach Buoy.
"Hello, we haven't had rain for a while."
"Yes, it's been a lovely day."
" I was behind you the other night when it poured down."
"Oh yes." answered Beach Buoy, adding l didn't have the van, l went and sheltered in the bus station. We were soaked."
Beach Buoy and Another Dog descend to the beach.
The strangers had a shared experience.
Now they have spoken, it will be distant waves out on the width of the beach.
All good.
"Better than any bath l've ever had. " said the gentleman as he continued up the ramp.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed down towards the sea.
Clouds hung over the village.
It has been a sunny and warm day.
A mild breeze blew.
Near the dunes three teenagers had dug a hole so deep that two had to reach down and jointly pull the other out.
The three headed off towards the car park, large spades on their shoulders as some dune dwellers looked on.
Once the diggers had gone the dune dwellers were drawn towards the hole.
Was it all a cunning trap?
Those dune dwellers can be elusive
Beach Buoy and Another Dog carried on to the sea.
A Pale Moon hung in the bay.
It almost looked like a circular cloud, such was it's appearance.
They headed south with a Gull and The Sea Serpent for company.
In the distance a small boat crossed the bay
North to South.
Hartlepool to the River Tees.
Their walked continued.
Two more dune dwellers looked down onto the beach.
As if giving chase to the small boat, six Oyster Catchers flew south.
Like the seven dwarfs minus Sleepy, they whistled as they worked.
Up ahead two dogs barked as they ran to and from their three human companions.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog made their way to the sandy slope.
Beach Buoy put a hand to the side of his mouth.
He shouted out towards the Sea Serpent.
"Are you ok?"
The friendly creature raised a flipper.
It was a yes.
Beach Buoy smiled.
He wanted his friend to be well.
Somewhere out there,
"Are you ok?" echoed silently.
I'm "Fine." thought Beach Buoy.
After another struggle up the sandy slope, they reached Stubborn Dog Stack.
It was 7-01 p.m.
Beach Buoy added some stones.
He patted
THE
stone.
"Evening Mate.'
Beach Buoy watched as the Sea Serpent
rolled and twisted on the surface of the sea.
Sometimes creatures would cling to it.
Some in the sea.
Some stood on a dune near a stack of stones.
The Sea Serpent is a good friend to have.
The breeze had stopped.
It was odd.
If anything, being on the dune edge would invite a breeze to show itself.
Another Dog laid in the sand alongside the stack.
She looked completely relaxed and happy with life.
All good.
Idle and confused Wind Turbines looked towards the breeze's last known location.
Without the wind they are all just
Sea Statues.
Their immobile blades pointing to a multitude of protractor points
Angles, not Angels of the North.
"See you mate."
They returned to the beach.
Beach Buoy gave the stack and The Serpent a distant wave.
To the north, the sky had turned denim and peach.
At the water's edge it looked like the very very wet Retriever owner had found a lady friend?
He had been noticeable by his absence recently.
The lady had a dog too.
Beach Buoy hoped all four were happy with life and each other.
It was a lovely walk in a lovely evening.
Beach Buoy paused.
He stood upright, arms behind his back as though listening to an important speech.
He was.
It was the sea, the sky and the beach that spoke to him.
A distant but welcome Pheasant heckled from a hidden dune.
Beach Buoy watched as the sun began to lower.
An evening glow spilt across the fields to the west as if the Sun was a bursting egg-yoke.
Another couple walked by the sea; life on the edge in a good way.
Over the dunes, a Kestrel appeared.
Beach Buoy felt honoured.
He watched as the Beautiful Bird scanned the dunes.
Beach Buoy headed to the access ramp.
Others had took ownership of the deep hole.
Teenagers carried a large driftwood branch to the hole on their shoulders.
The large branch was hopefully stood upright in the hole.
The teenagers began to backfill the hole.
It reminded Beach Buoy of John Wesley's comment about preaching in Hartlepool.
"Trying to grow a crop in the sand "
The hole seemed like that field in the film Field of dreams
"Build it and they will come"
In the case of the hole it was dig it and they will come.
They did.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog began to climb up the access ramp.
Ten others were up ahead.
It felt like a mass exodus.
No one wanted to hear what Wesley had to say.
Beach Buoy sat in the van a while.
A couple pulled up in a grey Aston Martin.
They headed for the Promenade wall with coffee cups and a bundle of fast food.
The lady looked at the sea.
The man looked at his Aston Martin.
BEACH BUOY.
