Summer 2020 at Blackpool Sands
The story of our summer on the beach at Blackpool Sands 2020. We met some fantastic people and some not so fantastic. What a stunning place to be.
The beginning
First job when we move into the caravan is to sort everything. How to fit everything into the caravan? It’s not happening so we decided to put everything in the awning and work from there.
We couldn’t get the water running, but after a quick call to the chap we bought the caravan from it turns out it was just a bit temperamental and needed a little wiggle – now working fine (ish), just with a clothes peg jammed in to hold the pump in the right place!
The weather is gorgeous and I have time on my hands as I’m still on furlough.
After some more sorting we sit down for our first proper cooked meal…peri-peri chicken, new potatoes and roast Mediterranean vegetables. Pausing to eat gives us time to think.
Reflection
We start thinking about exactly what we wanted to do with our blogs. Originally we were just going to keep a sort of online diary so that our family and friends could keep up to date with what we were doing.
As time went by the blog ideas evolved into what we have today. Mine is a foodie travel blog as you know, and Carols’ is the story of our travels from our dogs’ point of view mixed with some animal rescue stuff. Zeus is definitely loving the beach life.
The Awning
Couldn’t find homes for all our furniture, so we ended up with some of it in the awning. We put down some old rugs, a 3 piece suite, welsh dresser and a couple of other cabinets. It made it quite homely really. Good job it appears to be watertight – fingers crossed!
I try and sort my tools out – now I am down to only 4 tape measures. Got the tools down to a tool box….and a tool bag…and several boxes of screw fixings. The stuff I am not taking….but would like to keep…..fill the boot of my car completely. Hmm, soooo much stuff still, and what will we need to take with us? Guaranteed that whatever we decide not to take will be the first thing we need when we do eventually get away.
First spell of rain overnight – woke me up briefly – it’s like trying to sleep in a drum. The awning seemed to be holding up well. Debated whether to get up and check but didn’t bother in the end….it’s the thought that counts right?
Not so happy campers
A couple of Polish people had snuck in at 2.30am one night and were camping up behind the hedge dividing the two car parks behind Venus. Rod found them and kicked them out the following morning, saying they had broken the law and were trespassing.
They hadn’t been there at 2am. I thought I heard a car door during the night but nothing else. So being half asleep thought it was my imagination, turned over and went back to sleep. Am I supposed to be up all night?
Fugitives
Another time Police cars were seen going up the road at speed towards Strete, a helicopter was circling round and round above us. A policeman came and spoke to me – guess I must have looked kind of official with the hi-viz jacket on. It turns out a car of interest with 4 youths in was finally forcibly stopped at Slapton and one lad caught -the other 3 ran away and they were trying to track them down.
Whilst looking round Blackpool Sands and establishing that they could have only got here at very, very low tide, via the coast path or the road, they found three lads coming up from beach and going to a volvo estate. Not the lads they were looking for but the driver was someone of interest they wanted for a different matter. That lad, I guess wasn’t a hardened criminal…or it was his first offence, promptly soiled himself…the police asked if they could get him cleaned up in the loos before arresting and taking him in.
Restoring faith
We are sitting in the awning one evening, relaxing before having supper when there is a scratch on the material. Not used to being disturbed we wonder what is going on. A young Italian couple had been having a quiet BBQ on the beach but their bluetooth speaker had run out of battery. They were asking whether we could put it on charge for them! Very cheeky!
Not something we would normally do, but we eventually agreed. After all it wouldn’t cost us anything. We finished dinner and I went off for a walk with Zeus, returning about an hour or so later. When I got back they had collected their speaker and left a bottle of wine as a thank you! Totally unexpected, but much appreciated and restored my faith in humanity somewhat.
Film Crews
Blackpool Sands is such a stunning beach. On several occasions over the summer we were visited by film crews, partly because overseas travel was not possible I suppose. One caused something of a stir when they were seen throwing a ‘dead body’ into the sea! There was also a crew filming a documentary for the BBC on our involvement with black slavery back in the day.
On one occasion, somewhat unfortunately, a gentleman turned up early one morning with a drone to do some filming. I happened to be awake and advised him that the flying of drones is not permitted and turned him away. Subsequently I found out that Sir Geoffrey had given permission for them to be there, but had forgotten to let me know – oops!
Turns out that Sir Geoffrey has a history with film and media. I hadn’t realised until Robert told me. Apparently he had been heavily involved with the iconic shots of the flying geese taken from a microlite which were groundbreaking at the time.
Little Dartmouth
We decided to have a trip up to Little Dartmouth to see what was there one afternoon. It turns out the coastal path there is National Trust with two free car parks! We parked up and decided to take a walk. There is a choice of walks including a 1.5 mile loop or 3.75 mile loop with a few loops in between. Much of the trail follows the coastal path with some spectacular views.
Time marches on and we get to the beginning of July and finally I am back to work. What a summer it was in the cafe. Long hours and hard work with a fraction of the staff that are normally there.
Middle of July and the whitebait are washed up on the beach, chased out of the sea by the summer mackerel.
The darker side of beach security
Then came a period where everyone it seemed was trying it on – drunks lighting fires, people looking for somewhere to camp, dogs on the beach. Is it like this every year or is it exceptional because of the pandemic?
One quiet evening nothing was happening until about 10.30. I went out as I heard car door. It was two lads chucking cones around with another in a black VW. They saw me, jumped in the car and drove away quickly – clearly up to no good. There may have been another in the car. Tried ringing 101, no joy…tried web chat…again no joy so emailed info to the Police. I was thinking they may cause problems elsewhere. It was so frustrating that I could not get through to the Police. Fortunately I scared them away from here before causing any damage but I have no idea if they just went elsewhere and caused mischief.
Naughty Zeus
Carol took Zeus out at for a last walk one evening….boy he had fun. He was sniffing around outside the staff smoking area when he suddenly ran into the hedge as he had obviously caught scent of something. It was a very wide hedge – he got tangled and she couldn’t reach him. I managed to get his lead unclipped and that is when the fun began.
Zeus proceeded to wander up the car park…where he picked up another scent …into the flowerbed, out onto coast path, down entrance road into large car park where he disappeared then reappeared charging down the beach. We caught sight of him heading towards the river. He disturbed the ducks as (we found afterwards) he went swimming – so glad he is not interested in birds. Think he was following the scent of a fox. I was keeping sight of him with the big floodlight. Carol walked down the car park towards the river where Zeus was sniffing in the bushes and came when he was called. All happy and pleased with himself. Boy he can move when he wants to.
Grease is the word
Open-air cinema tonight – Lion king late afternoon/early evening then Grease. Weather turned mizzling so not many for Lion King but Grease sold out – 300 people – reckon only 100/120 for Lion King.
Zeus was not happy about the lions roaring – he couldn’t work out where they were but realised they were dangerous animals…then the car race scene with revving engines confused him as the noise was coming from beach.
There are usually loads of different events on the beach during the summer season, but because of COVID the majority had to be cancelled.
Metal Detecting
Another time Sir Geoffrey came to chat about a guy who may be metal detecting and basically stealing stuff he is finding. He had been foolish enough to brag about what he had been finding on social media. The two guys licenced to do metal detecting on the beach were obviously not happy and nor was Geoffrey.
We think we know who it was. Coming into to fish of an evening, but maybe waiting until after 2am to do the metal detecting. Certainly he is usually here until very late. Need to be very careful as he has something of a reputation and is the sort who would knife the awning or burn down the cafe if upset. He is banned from most places in Dartmouth apparently. Charming fellow.
Guess he got wind that he had been rumbled as we didn’t see him again. Probably a good thing all things considered.
Conclusion
So that is the story of our summer on the beach at Blackpool Sands. A lot of time spent preventing people from doing things they weren’t supposed to be doing – which is why we were there I guess. Long hours and hard work in the cafe. But it’s not all negative. We met some fantastic people and some not so fantastic. Zeus gained a fan club. Yes it was tiring, but what a stunning place to be, and the weather was exceptional.
Hope You Enjoy!
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Hello Andrew, Nice to read about your lives as beach bums.
Thank you Christine. Its’ been a crazy summer but we’ve enjoyed our time here so much. Just hoping that we can actually get away soon. Fingers crossed.
Just think of the escapades Lucia could have got you into if she had still been with you!
I can’t imagine the chaos if she had been in the caravan with us here!