Beach bivi.

This was something Mike and I had chatted about a few times. An overnight bivi on the beach seemed an interesting idea. Originally our goal had been Ross Back Sands. However with birds nesting on the beach area and  notices concerning that plus patrolling wardens, we opted for Druridge bay.

Heading up the beach to find a suitable spot in the dunes, my pack felt ridiculously heavy. Mind, I was carrying a large tarp an equally large groundsheet. Also six heavy duty eighteen inch wooden stakes for fixing the tarp. A lot more gear than my usual bushcraft type overnight bivi kit.

Also carried in a meths stove and all the usual picnic stuff.

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There was also the problem of water, I lugged in six litres. We set up camp and spent the rest of the time pottering, drinking tea and having pasties for tea. Lucky spent his time digging holes, building nests and snoozing. Well, he is from a rare species of ground nesting dogs??!!

With the evening drawing on, we collected driftwood. Wandering up the beach I spoke briefly with a chap who had been wandering around the same area of beach for some time. He claimed to be checking up on birds nesting on the beach. A little odd, he was curious as to what Mike and I were up to.. Rather than say we were stopping overnight I explained we were having a beach picnic. His little, rather ancient dog was in a grumpy mood and kept growling at me. Half an hour later Mike wandered up and had a wee chat with him. Trying to hide in the dunes and wandering around the same patch of beach for a couple of hours is a little suspect!

A fire pit was dug and Mike soon had a blaze going. Before anyone says anything, we left no trace of there ever being a fire there.

Sometime in the early hours, before 4am, we were both sitting drinking tea and watching the dawn of a new day.

Early morning light.

A growing lightness in the sky.

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A wee bit of a snooze and then a breakfast of cold meats, boiled eggs, cheese and bread wraps and more tea.
A morning spent nipping in to the sea, paddling, splashing around and have fun in the water and getting a wee bit of a tan.
That, all in all, was our overnight bivi. We are now contemplating another. This could become addictive?