SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL. 06, JULY 2023.

 Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached the water's edge at 8-34 p.m.

They had been chatting to a couple on the beach access ramp.

The gentleman had stooped down to stroke Another Dog.

He looked like Captain Birdseye.

"She's called Ruby."

"Hello Ruby. "

"She's very stubborn."

"I have a wife like that."

"Is she called Ruby too? " asked Beach Buoy.

"Mrs. Birdseye." was stood nearby with a dog on a leash.

She smiled.

The air was full of Little Terns.

It looked like flying lessons were in progress.

Distant masts of the visiting tall ships across the bay.

They walked southwards.

"CALLUM IS BEST " 

was written in the sand.

The tide was more in than it was out.

Smooth sand was scattered with random patches of searchable shingle.

An evening beach regular passed by,

'Hiya."

Hiya"

"Evening Mate."

Beach Buoy added some stones.

He patted

THE

stone.

It was 8-55 p.m.

It had been a day off work but Beach Buoy was exhausted.

Apart from a moment of morning magic, the minutes at the stack would be the best part of a long day. 

Almost 9 p.m. and as light as could be.

"See you mate."

They returned to the beach.

As they headed back, Beach Buoy found his first sea alley for a very long time. 

Upon on seeing them approaching, a Sea Serpent Pup scampered back into the safety of the sea.

They had a slow walk back as the tide pulled back.

Every step a print on freshly smoothed sand.

BEACH BUOY.

PROMENADE BIKE RIDE. 06, JULY, 2023.

 

A day off.

Van dropped off for a bit of work.

Cycle back along the Promenade.

North end of Promenade gave a nice view of a Tall Ship arriving.

Beach Buoy cycled back to the village.

People focused their binoculars in nearby car parks, excited for those on the horizon to come into view.

As he cycled by within touching distance, Beach Buoy hoped they were having fun.

🤐

Closer.

More arrivals.

Later.....

BEACH BUOY.

5, JULY, 2023. SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL

 

Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached the beach at 8-10 p.m.

Youths in cars were playing car horn morse code once more.

A parked up HGV joined in and almost blew out some nearby window.

It was bright and breezy.

A metal detectorist worked the beach near to the water's edge.

Another was to the south, on the strand-line. 

A couple left the beach with their dogs.

The man walked with one 

The lady cradled the other in a blanket. 

The carried dog looked frail.

It reminded Beach Buoy of Stubborn Dogs last days.

😟

The tide was more in than it was out.

Three Ladies sat chatting on the dry sand just beyond the strand-line.

They began to head southwards.

Little Terns zipped to and from their nest site. 

Up ahead a family of four beach combed.

Well to be more accurate , three did.

Dad was just happy to walk the dog.

They headed towards the sandy slope.

The previous high tide had licked the dune edge,

More of it had fallen to the beach below.

"Evening Mate."

It was 8-34 p.m.

Beach Buoy added some stones.

He patted

THE

stone.

They stayed a short while, coffee-less.

"See you mate."

They returned to the beach .

On the slow walk back, they met a very friendly Corgi called Emma.

Beach Buoy chatted to its owner briefly.

They went their separate ways.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL. 04, JULY 2023.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed to the beach.

They reached the busy car park at 7-24 p.m.

A Woggle of around fifty scouts were stood near to the beach access ramp.

They were scattered all around the sand.

It was warm and sunny.

The tide was about half in / half out, depending on your outlook on life.

A Lone Yacht crossed the bay from south to north.

A warm breeze blew from the north west as people stood at the water's edge.

A short-haired lady with a short-haired dog, walked northwards on the water's edge.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed in the opposite direction.

The south end of the beach was theirs now.

In places the dune edge must be more than eight metres high.

Sand Martins swooped here, there and everywhere.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog climbed the sandy slope that led to the dune system.

An earlier eager tide had climbed half way up the slope.

"Evening Mate."

It was 7-55 p.m.

Beach Buoy added some stones.

He patted 

THE

stone.

Beach Buoy sat on a large stack stone.

Another Dog laid flat on the sand beside him.

They were both glad to be there. 

Beach Buoy watched as a small ship that was almost a boat left the river 

Not long afterwards, a boat that was definitely a boat did the same. 

Beach Buoy sipped coffee.

Another Dog sniffed the sea air.

On a straight line between the Sea Serpent Marker and Stubborn Dog Stack, something jump clear of the sea, returning with a splash.

It wasn't a dolphin but did seem larger than "just a fish."

Beach Buoy sat making notes in his beach book.

He ended with the line...

No Skylark song tonight.

He stood and walked to the dune edge.

It was 8-05 p.m.

There wasn't another in sight.

"See you mate."

They returned to the beach below.

It was cooler on the beach.

A pleasant and refreshing breeze blew.

Others appeared, dots in the distance.

Beach Buoy paused 

He often does.

That's one of the best parts of being on the beach, pausing.

He looked up to see what cloud creatures were around. 

A Cloud Chimp with a pet lip headed out to sea.

A Baby Elephant changed into a Hyeina.

It laughed as it played catch-up with the Chimp.

They carried on northwards. 

Up above the dunes, a Cloud Pelican chatted to a Cloud Ptarmigan.

They headed back to the van.

In the car park, little minds in little cars 

Beep-beeped to one another. 

It was their own version of morse code.

The most popular message being

"I am an idiot."

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL. 3, JULY, 2023.

 

Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached the beach at 6-40 p.m.

It was bright and breezy.

The clouds looked like magnificent art installations, hung in a beautiful sky. 

They headed south.

A barefoot beachcomber was up ahead 

The breeze was more of a warm wind.

Every now and then shifting sand snakes out to sea.

It was warmer than Beach Buoy had guessed.

He was a little overdressed in his orange waterproof coat.

But....as his Father said more than once.

"You can always take it off but you can't put it on if you didn't bring it with you."

They dawdled along.

JODIE

♥️

JOE

was written in the sand.

The tide was well out.

At the water's edge, a family seemed to have every size and shape of dog.

A man with a Wagging Spaniel, scampered along the dune edge, northwards.

Higher up, two dune dwellers dwelled in the dunes.

Two figures, one in white the other in black walked half a beach, returning north.

7-17 p.m.

"Evening Mate."

Beach Buoy added some stones.

He patted

THE

stone.

He sat.

Another Dog sat too.

She looked relaxed and content as she sniffed at the sea air.

Beach Buoy stood to go.

"See you mate."

Marram grass danced in the breeze to the sound of the sea.

Others were enjoying the beach below.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog returned to the beach.

A slow walk back.

Four teenagers sat on a driftwood bench, vaping.

Strawberry smoke drifted out to sea.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS HARTLEPOOL. 02, JULY 2023.

 Beach Buoy and Another Dog were on the                       Promenade at 5-20 a.m.

The car park was empty. 

A long narrow cloud blocked the sun.

The tide was well out.

It left behind a patterned beach.

A fresh breeze blew from the west.

Little Terns flew back and forth with their catch.

The industrial markers have gone.

To some eyes it may look more pleasing but the industry meant so much. 

Beach Buoy thought how odd it will be the next time that he does a daft drawing of the south. 

They headed southwards.

Theirs were the first prints on today's tidal sands.

For a drawing later. 

The only other on the beach sat looking at their phone on the last of the dune grass.

A rainbow stretched out to the West. 

Sand Martins flew low, close to the dune edge.

Their darting sunshine shadows, that were cast on the height of the dune edge, copied every twist and turn.

"Morning Mate."

Beach Buoy added some stones.

He patted

THE

stone.

It was 5-59 a.m.

Beach Buoy sat a while.

He watched the sea and sky.

He watched the Sand Martins swoop by.

"See you mate."

They returned to the beach.

Gannets, too distant for a phone camera, plunged into the sea.

They eventually moved north across the bay towards Hartlepool, closer to shore too.

Originally, Beach Buoy thought that there was only a couple of them.

He reckoned later there was about a dozen.

Hopefully the Dolphins will return soon.

They shared a distant "Morning!"

with the 7 a.m.

Club.

Access Ramp Rainbow.

They crossed below the rainbow.

Beach Buoy made a milky coffee in the van as he watched a regular line of beach regulars arrive.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL. 01 JULY, 2023.

Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached the beach car park at 5-40 a.m.

Some of the regulars on the clockwork-like beach were already by the sea.

The tide was well out.

There was a breeze from the west.

Tiny Little Terns escorted Gulls five times their size from the nesting site.

They headed South.

The view ahead was different.

More of the riverside industrial heritage, had been blown to the ground.

Markers, not needed to guide them on their way but missed massively, like dependable friends.

Swollen and bruised-looking clouds hung over the bay.

Others head back to the Car Park.

It was the 4x4 Border Collie Couple. 

Beach Buoy and Another Dog wandered to the water's edge.

Sand Martins were trying their luck down by the sea.

"Morning Mate."

It was 6-20 a.m.

Beach Buoy added some stones.

He patted

THE

stone.

He had just chatted on the beach below to a southbound 7 a.m. Club.

"Chimneys all gone!" said Beach Buoy.

"Yes it's all gone, like Summer."

It was cooler than it had been recently.

He also shared a "Morning." and a wave with Team Distant Wave as that group headed north.

The two groups stopped to chat to one another as Beach Buoy and Another Dog climbed the Sandy Slope.

Lost horizon.

The view changed for ever.

"Forever?" asked Another Dog.

"Yes matey, forever answered Beach Buoy.

They sat at Stubborn Dog Stack.

Sand Martins put on a dune edge show, while Beach Buoy enjoyed a Stack Coffee.

For a drawing later 

Odd... forever.

Mari, the free spirit, big friendly poodle ran the full length of the beach to play catch-up  with the 7 a.m. club. They had almost reached the village green at Seaton Carew.

"See you mate."

Beach Buoy and Another Dog dropped back down onto the beach.

They headed back at a slower pace than Mari.

A friendly man with a friendly Beagle came over to chat.

They had chatted before.

The man who once walked four dog, walked three, southwards near the dune edge.

Team Muzzled Dog passed also heading south.

"Morning."

"Morning."

Beach Buoy paused 

He made a note in his beach book 

No Skylark song today.

The Beachcombing Border Collie Couple and their conversation followed the others, southwards.

 

Beach Buoy and Another Dog reached the van .

Rita the meter maid walked her walk as the kettle came to the boil. 

Coffee drank, Beach Buoy reached into the back of the van for a cushion.

He nodded off for twenty minutes with Another Dog doing the same on the rear of back seats.

The twenty minutes was more refreshing than the awful night's sleep he had just endured.

BEACH BUOY.