Shorewalkers: Members Only Group

This is a visit to the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment facility for an educational tour on "New York City's Water Story". Total distance is about 5 miles. I'm holding spots for members who have a strong interest in our water supply system - drop me a message if you land on the waitlist.

Okay, it’s hot. But let’s beat the heat, put in a few miles, and reward ourselves with lunch and refreshing beverages at Frying Pan, the historic lightship/maritime café in Chelsea at Pier 66A.

“The US Coast Guard used lightships as floating lighthouses to guard other ships from running aground on shoals (or submerged rocks) that were too far from land to be served by a lighthouse on shore. Many were also used to mark the entrances to harbors. …Built in 1929, Lightship #115 "Frying Pan" guarded its namesake Frying Pan Shoals, 30 miles off Cape Fear, NC, from 1930 to 1965. She is 133-feet, 3-inches in length, with a 30-foot beam, a draft of 13-feet, 8-inches, and she weighs in at 632 gross tons.”

Meet: 9:30 a.m. Friday, June 19, 2026, Staten Island Ferry Terminal, Whitehall Street. Please use the restrooms in the ferry terminal before we begin the walk. Other restroom stops in Tribeca and Chelsea.

Bring: Hat, sunblock, water and snacks.

Join me on a leisurely three mile stroll along the shoreline, all the way to the end of the island for an unobstructed view of the sunset, the lighthouse, and the Verrazano Bridge. The sun sets at 8:29 PM, but the effects are visible much earlier, so we will start walking westward at 7:15. After sunset, we will walk back along the shoreline to the starting point, look for a spot to sit until just before the the fireworks start at 9:45. We will be watching the fireworks from the pier.

Meeting time and place: Meet at 7:00 PM in the outdoor dining area, next to Nathan's. The walk starts at 7:15 PM.

Getting there: Take the D, F, N, or Q to the last stop, Coney Island/Stillwell Avenue. Cross the street, and walk on Surf Avenue past Nathan's. The outdoor seating area is next to Nathan's. If you are facing the ocean from Surf Avenue, the seating area will be in front of you and the restrooms alongside Nathan's, to the left of the seating area.

Latecomers: The sun, alas, does not wait for people. If you are late, cross Surf Avenue when you come out of the subway station, walk left on Stillwell Avenue all the way toward the boardwalk, where you can use the restrooms. Then get down from the boardwalk onto the sand, walk under the pier, and look for a group of people with backpacks. We will be walking westward, in the direction of the setting sun. The crowds thin out after the pier, so you shoud be able to catch up with us.

Bring food, drinks, and a light jacket as the temperatures tend to drop after sunset. If you need to purchase dinner or snacks, please come early as we will be starting on time. You can also pick up dinner and/or stop for drinks once we get back to the starting point after watching the sunset.

Footwear: Wear shoes appropriate for walking on the sand. The water is warm enough for people to walk or wade barefoot . We will be walking along the shoreline, and not on the boardwalk.

Group dynamics: Please note that we will be walking as a group to see the sunset and then back to the pier area. Between the end of the walk and the start of the fireworks at 9:45, you can purchase food and beverages, explore the area, go for another walk, sit down if you so desire, before joining us on the pier.

This is a leisurely walk; leader sets the pace.

Coney Island: I will talk briefly about the geology and history of Coney Island before we start walking, and then give you an overview of Seagate when we stop to look at the sunset. We will be watching the sunset along with the locals at a location unfrequented by tourists.