July 26th

The grey dawn is the time for the keepfit and wellness chasers even before the dog walkers get going. Two big men are lying on yoga mats rockingtheir knees from side to side in a languidly impatient way as they might do if their mothers had told them they have to wait half an hour until breakfast is ready. On the beach two more have brought arm loads of equipment to the tides edge. One is wobbling a big anaconda up and down and the other is lifting a barbell above his head. Is it an optical illusion or does the colour of the sea actually darken from slate grey to dark charcoal as it nears the bright band of the horizon? Two fishing boats are far out on the bay, their high intensity night lights still gleaming bright. At the tides edge the sea continually pushes and pulls at the sand like a very indecisive fengshui practitioner. The two guys on the beach are packing up and carrying their kit home. The one with the barbell has it tucked under his arm as if it were a clown prop with balloons instead of weights. There is virtually no litter this morning, the gulls have left the stuffed rubbish bins quite alone. The night’s haul at the shelter is an empty bottle of Jack Daniels, One of Pinot Grigio and a litre bottle of Jagermeister. A couple in grey running gear pause to look at them. “That lot would definitely make me sick” she says as if weighing the possibility and they jog on. Magpies chatter, pigeons coo. The first dog walker appears. #Bournemouth #Westcliffgreen #july #summer

and from this date last year

July 26th 2021

The breeze ruffles the prviously tranquil sea. The flags on the Lifeguards' hut streams out stiffly. A little flurry of white sails zig zag across the bay. A light patter of rain comes to nothing but further down the coast the sky is black and jagged with lightning. As the summer deepens the background chorus of birds quietens but there is alsways one to brighten the scene. Today is the Coal Tit peeping and twiddling hidden in the dark branches of an old pine tree.