I think I had more luck than you this morning, Bob.
It was cloudy when I arrived just before 8:00 but visibility out to sea was excellent. A seawatch of just over an hour produced 35 Common Scoter, five Kittiwakes, a Curlew and a Gannet, plus two Razorbills on the sea.
Then a break to look for the Black Redstart on the Old College without success before checking the waders at Castle Point: 12 Ringed Plover, three Turnstones and a Redshank. Two Chough flew north, low over the castle and along the prom.
Back to my shelter on the castle for another seawatch, which I almost gave up as a thick drizzly mist rolled in. Luckily the stiff westerly pushed it inland and after about 15 minutes the sea was once again clear, just in time for me to enjoy two drake Velvet Scoter flying north at fairly close range.
The tide had covered most of the rocks before I left at 11:00, by which time there were five Purple Sandpipers on the sea wall.