SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL 16-10-16.

Mid October and heat in the Sun.
It was a lovely night again.
The tide was high and the Sea was glorious once again with wave after wave rolling in.

The lone figure in the distance turns and runs to escape an incoming wave.
I love how black and white photographs can portray the brightness of a sunny scene.

The only downside of all the wave activity and high tide was the lack of finds. 

The force of the waves was reaching the Sand Dunes even though the tide had turned an hour or so earlier.

I crossed over to have a look at North Gare Beach, the high tide may explain to those who don't know as to why we call this The Blue Lagoon.

#2minutebeachclean
BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL 15 10 16

THE SEA WAS WILD.
THE SUN WAS OUT AND NO WIND....A LOVELY DAY.

WAVES AND CLOUDS TO DIE FOR.

WHITBY 237....

THE PHOTOGRAPH DOESN'T DO THE SKY JUSTICE.

DUNE, SAND, SEA, SPRAY AND SKY.

17 TAPROGGE BALLS, 16 BLUE, 1 ORANGE
#2MINUTEBEACHCLEAN

BEACH BUOY

HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY DAD

MY DAD WOULD HAVE BEEN 90 TODAY.
HE DIED AT SUDDENLY AT 56
I WORKED TODAY
BUT CALLED INTO OUR BEACH; MIDDLETON, FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES ON THE WAY HOME.
THE TIDE WAS RIGHT AT ITS PEAK AND THE WAVES WERE FANTASTIC.

MY DAD.
THIS WAS HIS FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPH.
TAKEN BY ME AGED AROUND 15, WE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM A SHRIMPING TRIP IN HARTLEPOOL.
IF WE EVER MEET UP ON THE OTHER SIDE 
I WILL PUNCH HIM SQUARE ON THE CHIN
BEFORE HUGGING HIM.
HE HATED GREEN.
IT'S UNLUCKY!
BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS 12-10-16.

COULD NOT RESIST THE CALL OF THE SEATON SHINGLE.

LOVELY CLOUD FORMATION.

WET AND TIRED BUT HE WAS RELUCTANT TO COME OFF THE BEACH........

GLASS FINDS.

SEA POTTERY.

BEACH BUOY.

HAWTHORN HIVE BEACH VIA THE BLAST BEACH AT SEAHAM 12-10-16. Hawthorn is beach 56 for the year

Blast Beach finds......

Hawthorn Hive finds, now read how I travelled there.....

I moved the car to the South end of Nose's Point carpark, before setting off in the rain for Hawthorn Hive Beach. My thinking was that by the time I had been to Hawthorn Hive and back in the wet I would be glad to see the car a little sooner.
I was.
I just couldn't not go on the Blast Beach even though there is a track to Hawthorn up on the clifftop.
So another slippery slope awaited myself and two wet dogs.

The waves rolled in as I looked for sea glass.

We walked as far as the steps at Frenchman's cove and took the steps to join the track to Hawthorn Hive.

Eventually we reached  Hawthorn Dene Meadow. It was a pleasant surprise.

The sound of the Sea becomes louder as you reach the bottom of the Dene. Before you know, you are on the Beach.
It felt like a little bit of an adventure and a new Beach was the reward. It was well worth the walk , even in the Peter Kay rain.

If you turn and look back at the Dene once you reach the beach then this is the impressive view.

Within a couple of minutes I had found these beauties.

Hawthorn Hive Beach looking South.
Found some nice glass even though the tide was quite high.
I decided to travel back by the walkway up above the blast beach so that I could work out directions for anyone wanting to walk here from Noses Point Carpark.
It's about a Forty minute walk ... one way.

This is the route I took but assess the risks yourself.

1. Parked South end of Noses Point Car Park.

2. Headed to The Blast Beach through the break in the low fence because why walk on a track when you can walk on a Beach?. It's a very steep bank down to the Beach.The Blast Beach is South of the Car Park.
If you didn't want to do the Blast Beach then you could just take the black tarmac track heading south from the Car park and head down to the footbridge. The footbridge will take you to the sign below

This will be the track you join from the Blast Beach via Frenchman's Cove.
I walked South on the Blast Beach about two thirds of the way along there are some steps back unto the top.
It's Frenchman's Cove and these are the steps.

Then it was up to yellow track alongside railway fence and headed South.

3. I walked as far as the brick Hawthorn Quarry Railway Bridge.
4. I crossed the Bridge and came to the Quarry fence, the track forks just past the quarry.
I took the left fork.

5. I came to a Metal gate with a wooden frame on the right and passed on the right hand side.

6. It was a very short walk down into the Dene.
I turned left and came to a wooden post about 1 metre high.
I turned left at the post even though it looked the less worn track.

7. I came to a small brick wall with an iron bow frame on the left allowing me to pass.

8. The path lead to another footbridge, which I crossed.

9. I came to a set of steps and about three quarters of the way up the steps gave a left option which I took towards the sound of the Sea.

10. I followed the track the Beach.

It was well worth the 40 minute or so walk.

If you do as I did please take care.
Beware that it is a very secluded Beach and bear in mind there are idiots wherever you go in the world.
I wouldn't want anyone to put themselves at risk because of something I had written.
Here are some useful links for the area in general.
http://www.durhamheritagecoast.org/

maps and info..

BEACH BUOY.

CHEMICAL BEACH, DAWDON / SEAHAM 12-10-16. Beach No. 55 for year.

First parking Bay at Noses Point Dawdon  / Seaham.
Low tide was around 7-30 am .. it was now 9-30am.
As you can see by the windsocks the wind and rain were strong.
I had often wondered where the access was to the Chemical Beach.
I had looked on Google earth and noticed a track down but over the fence.
During a visit to the Blast Beach a few days earlier, I had a look at the Chemical Beach from above only , but knew I would be back soon.The weather was terrible and so was the access to be honest.
Down a slippy grass bank it was, with the wear of use, creating a makeshift set of steps, but thanks to the rain the track needed caution.
The track ends at some large irregular shaped sea defence rocks. In the dry these would be a challenge with odd angles and big drop in between them, in the wet it was a crawl, a jump, a bum slide and a clamber to cross the dark wet rocks to gain access to beach No.55 for the year. During my search for a track to the beach in the last few days, I came to realise this was the beach that the lifeboat George Elmy was washed back to shore in 1962 after the tragic events of the disaster.
I cannot do the story justice, so see here
The George Elmy 1962

First thing I did was lift my cap to the memories of all 9 of those lost in 1962. The view above is South.

The incoming tide was rough.

I love the old timbers.

Looking North towards Seaham Harbour.

Very little glass on this Beach, so trying your luck on the access route isn't worth it if it's Seaham glass you want.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS , A WALK TO NORTH GARE AND BACK 10-10-16.

BACK TO SEATON CAREW TONIGHT...
THE TIDE WAS OUT SO I WAS HOPING TO REACH THE NORTH GARE CORNER JUST VIA THE BEACH.

A LONE SEAGULL TAKES CENTRE STAGE, WALKING ALONG THE BEACH WHILST KEEPING AN EYE ON THE DOG AND I.

THE DRAMATIC CLOUDS TOP  THE DISTANT BREAKING WAVES  AND THE SEA WATER RUSHES TO FILL A DIP IN THE SAND.

REFLECTION TIME ...  THE BEACH DOES THAT.

FIRST SEA ALLEY FOR A WHILE.

MY MATEY.

THE SKY TURNED PINKY BLUE AS THE LIGHT STARTED TO FADE.

A LARGE TANGLE OF ROPE.
CORRECTION A LARGE TANGLE OF HEAVY ROPE!

I DRAGGED IT OFF THE BEACH FOR THE BIN LADS TO TAKE.

MASSES OF SHINGLE ON THE BEACH AT PRESENT SO FINDS HAUL IN POTTERY AND GLASS IS GOOD.

BEACH BUOY.....

AND THE BITS THAT WERE LEFT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BEACH BAG.
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