MONDAY 16 MARCH 2020. SEATON SANDS.

It was 3-45 pm on a bright and breezy afternoon down by the North Sea.

The tide was well out.

Beach Buoy could just watch the sea all day long.

Up to the stack.

A later dog walk around the Old Churchyard.
BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, HARTLEPOOL. SUNDAY.15 MARCH 2020. (Two Visits.)

Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog pulled into an empty car park at 6-30 am.
It had rained heavily overnight.
The puddles in the uneven car park outnumbered the vehicles.

They headed for the water's edge as a couple were already beyond them and also heading south.

The wind was from the west.
It was strong enough to send any soft dry sand out to sea, the thing was though that there wasn't any today.
The heavy overnight rain had soaked then non tidal part of the beach.
So today 
SOFT DRY SAND
was stored in a nonexistent drawer in alphabetical order, to the right of
ROCKING HORSE DROPPINGS.

The Beach was very quiet.

A red ship sailed out from the river mouth.
It crossed Beach Buoy's mind that he had never seen a blue ship shaped like a cup and saucer...
as in Dip dip dip ......
He was no expert but he did question the design and sea worthiness of such a vessel.
The sky was amiss of blues, the sea a mixture of silver and grey.

The surface of the sea was rippled.
Waves did break as they approached the beach, with a curling Billy Idol lip.

Up at the stack.
Out at sea the red ship headed for the cloud on the horizon as if it was desperate for a cloud cuddle.
The Pilot's boat returned to the river after setting the red ship on course for cloud 9.
It is busier than 8 & 10 but worth the queue.

Beach Buoy admired the view.

It was 7-05 am.
Beach Buoy could see the clockwork-like 7 am club were on their way.

A Bunny Wabbit  stone caught Beach Buoy's eye.

The sun came out.
Almost instantly solar powered Skylarks burst into song above Beach Buoy and his dog eared mate.
(A DOG WITH EARS.)
Have a listen.
WINDY DAY WITH SKYLARKS...

More painted driftwood pieces.

They began to head back at 7-30 am.
The Sun was out and warmed the beach.

Beach Buoy lies a no footprint beach, but some times foot and paw prints can be picturesque.

They sat in the van a while.
Hot Coffee steamed.
Beach Buoy people watched.
A lady with a Gold Car pulled up.
The car glowed in the bright sunshine.
In total contrast her black and white dog stepped out of the car.
A young Border Collie, grabbing pawfulls of pavement as it strained to reach the beach.
The kettle boiled again.

It was around 2-25 pm when they returned to the beach.
The car park was very busy.
Luckily the tide was out, meaning everyone had lots of space.
Two sausage dogs passed close by
Woody and Ruby.

It was bright afternoon.

Plenty of space for all.

A family head back to the North.
Then it happened ...
Beach Buoy thought he had spotted the Sea Serpent up at the Grey Rocks.
Not great footage.
Click below to watch.
SEA SERPENT CAUGHT ON FILM?

He managed to take a couple of stills too.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS AND HARTLEPOOL HEADLAND 14 MARCH 2020.

Beach Buoy woke at 5-05am.
Street Birds not Seabirds were singing.
Beach Buoy headed downstairs.
By 5-40 am the Gulls were calling.
By 6-05am Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog were heading for the beach.
As they drove down the main road towards the Beach, the street lights were turning off in turn just ahead of the van; all a bit Billie Jean.
Once in the Car Park, he sat a while sipping the hot drink that he had brought with him.
He watched as a Ship sailed out of the River, then headed North.
Once he had drank the drink it was time to walk the walk.

At 6-18 am there Beach was theirs.
The previous high tide had been very high, reaching the Promenade Wall as far down as the Car Park.
They headed towards the water's edge.
There was a fresh breeze from the south.

Stubborn Dog wore two coats.
Beach Buoy had two hoods up and hands in pockets.
It was a pale morning; Sand, Sea and Sky all pale hues.
No doubt on back-to-work Monday the dawn will be dramatic shades of Gold and Orange.

Beach Buoy's two hoods were lowered, he wanted to feel the morning as well as see it.
He had warmed up now; it was like his take on pushing the Choke in on a 1972 Ford Cortina, although he was manufactured a long time before Cortina's travelled the world. 

He popped to the Dunes for a U photograph.

Beach Buoy likes the pallet of colours that random driftwood pieces throw up from time to time.

They went as far as the Grey Rocks and it's driftwood.

Driftwood Creature.

They stood and watched as a Ship came into Port.

7-06 am, they headed back,
on the way the sea would try and catch them out.
Small waves coming in; the equivalent of  pair of twos through on a pair of Dice.
Then DOUBLE SIX ! ...
'RUN!'
as the broken waves ran and ran.
Beach Buoy saw a depleted 7 am club to the North, in time they passed with 
'Morning !'
and waves of a different kind.

The regular late arrival was in pursuit.
More  'Mornings' and waves took place.
Her Little Brown Dog; Chocolate Pud came over to say hello and have a scrag.
There was no custard today as he didn't have his bright yellow raincoat on.
The lady watched as the dog was fussed over.
'He has to have a cuddle.'
and then they both were gone.

1 pm saw Beach Buoy and two dogs over on Hartlepool's Headland.

They had a wander around.

As far as The Elephant Rock.

They headed back to the van.

Boots off,
Kettle on,
Radio on,
Y3S COSY

 Stubborn Dog slept in the warm van.

This chap slept in the warm van
and if he is honest,
Beach Buoy did too.


BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS, FRIDAY 13th MARCH. 2020.

Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog drove to the Beach Car Park.
In doing so they passed the Golf Club.
There are many fence panels around the Golf Club.
The recent alphabetical storms had caused damage..
Yes folks, there was a hole in one......
Today it was repaired of course.

The Council Bin Wagons were just leaving their Car Park meet-up point and were on their way in convoy back to the depot.
The Wagon Cabs were three abreast with Happy Friday Faces.
The weekend starts here.
Beach Buoy and Old Stubborn Dog reached the Car Park at 3-45 pm.
They headed for the water's edge.
The soft sand had gone with the wind;
a book by Margaret Mitchell.
Beach Buoy has some odd ways of remembering things
when he used to go to a quiz or two.
'Who wrote Gone with the wind?'
Beach Buoy picked the
WW from With and Wind and did a Mirror image in his head for MM; Margaret Mitchell.
Easy.
With the soft sand gone they crossed a beach of stones, pebbles, whole sea shells and sea shells with holes.

The tide was around three quarters of the way in, with more to come.
Random people were out and about with their dogs.
Beach Buoy was sticking to the Coronavirus guidance of two metre distance from people plus Beach Buoy's own longstanding one hundred metre 
'GET OUT OF MY FACE!' Rule.
The Deep Blue Sea roared as it rolled into town, like a Cowboy flinging open the saloon doors.
The sea was breaking around five wave steps out into the Bay.
The wind had a chill (It wasn't multiplying.)

A couple appeared from the Dunes.
A Lady in Red.
A Man in blue.
(Beach Buoy doesn't think it was Chris de Burgh.)
They were Beach combing on the strand-line.
The Lady bent down constantly, upon rising she would hand her finds to Chris to carry in his blue coat pocket.
He bent down to pick something himself on one occasion.
He stretched out a leg behind him as a cantilever weight as he seemed unable or unhappy just to bend down?
Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog walked on.






They headed up to the Dunes and the stack that was now becoming part of the Dunes System.

The sea seemed to be becoming rougher?
It seemed to change colour too from Deep Blue Sea to  Grey, not with age but with anger and intent.
It was stepping out in to the Bay more and more; five steps became seven.
Some were as big as houses, as long as the house was wave sized. 

They headed back to the beach and paused behind  a driftwood bench before beginning the slow walk back to the van.

They binned the beach clean items and reached the warmth of comfort of the van.

BEACH BUOY.

SEATON SANDS 10 MARCH 2020,

It was 4pm.
 Rain had not long passed through briefly, leaving a rainbow.
It had vanished by the time Beach Buoy and Stubborn Dog had arrived.
It was Bright and very breezy from the north west.
The tide was high up.

A Jogger jogged into the strong wind.
It looked like he was crossing the finishing line of a race in slow motion.
Possibly to the soundtrack of Chariots of fire.

Beach Buoy pulled up a hood  to shelter for the wind then placed his hands into his pockets.
He headed South; Hand's in pocket man.
Going in the opposite direction  was...
Jeans in Sock Man.

The paid the dunes a visit and admired the view.

Seaweed Shadows,

A slow walk back; dodging ways.


BEACH BUOY.