Coney Island: Sunset and Fireworks Shorewalk

Join me on a leisurely three mile shorewalk along the shoreline to the end of the island for an unobstructed view of the sunset, the lighthouse, and the Verrazano Bridge. The sun sets at 7:43 PM, but the effects are visible much earlier, so we will start walking westward at 6:55. 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 6:45 PM in the outdoor dining area, next to Nathan's. The walk starts at 6:55 PM.

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

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 fireworks, you can purchase food and beverages, explore the area, go for another walk, sit down if you so desire, before looking for us on the pier just before the start of the fireworks.

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.

Leave No Trace Behind: You are probably familiar with the Leave No Trace Behind principles of outdoors hiking. The ones that apply to our event, in addition to the “Pack it in, pack it out” and “Visit in small groups when possible.” are:

• Respect Wildlife
• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
• Never feed animals (this includes the gulls that we'll see on our route). Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors (habituates them to humans), and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
• Be Considerate of Other Visitors
• Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
• Be courteous.
• Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

Note: If you'd like to come earlier to enjoy the rides and restaurants, the Luna Park website has the necessary information.

Guests are welcome; please make sure that they sign the waiver and release through this link. Guests should also be familiar with the walk description.

Registration opens at 8 AM on Wednesday, August 20. Please check your schedules before registering for this walk. If you must cancel, please do so before 8 PM on Thursday, lest you be relegated to the ranks of the "casual clickers", who make it to the "no show" list. Apologies to my fellow hike leader for appropriating his terminology.

Rain cancels

Leader: Prathima Christdas, christdasp@yahoo.com