Dawn Series

August 15, 2017 11:51 AM

Here's What Coney Island Looks Like In The Empty Pre-Dawn Hours

Photographer Gretchen Robinette visited Coney Island just before sunrise on a warm August morning, in the hours before a big storm hit, from around 4:45 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.

posted by poffin boffin (14 comments total)

Forgive me, but this was a knee-jerk reaction when I saw some of these:

(clink clink clink clink) "Warriorrrrrrrrrrrrs, come out to PLAY-ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:56 AM on August 15, 2017 [8 favorites]

I have a great memory of visiting Coney Island at night in the chilly fall weather. Walking through the twilit alleys with all the games closed up was fascinating. All the flags overhead were rattling in the wind. When I reached the beach, there was a man who had crawled into an abandoned refrigerator to get out of the cold. Ghostly, shadowy figures walked all along the water...
posted by aletheia at 12:26 PM on August 15, 2017 [6 favorites]

Dang, the Empress beat me to it.
posted by Halloween Jack at 12:47 PM on August 15, 2017

Those beach shots evoke a strange sense of sonder in me and I don't know why.
posted by Soi-hah at 1:01 PM on August 15, 2017 [1 favorite]

I have a great memory of visiting Coney Island at night in the chilly fall weather. Walking through the twilit alleys with all the games closed up was fascinating. All the flags overhead were rattling in the wind. When I reached the beach, there was a man who had crawled into an abandoned refrigerator to get out of the cold. Ghostly, shadowy figures walked all along the water...

This totally sounds like the opening to a great short story.
posted by davebush at 1:03 PM on August 15, 2017 [2 favorites]

MR ROBOT sez HI
posted by lalochezia at 1:35 PM on August 15, 2017

These are just hypnotic. Wowzers.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 1:48 PM on August 15, 2017

I periodically wake up ridiculously early, take the train out to Brighton Beach, run the boardwalk from that end to Sea Gate in pitch-black murkiness, accompanied only by thick-necked middle-aged Russian men out for their predawn constitutionals, and then back to Brighton as the sun comes up. This is a wonderful thing.
posted by AJaffe at 2:28 PM on August 15, 2017 [2 favorites]

As someone who enjoys walking along deserted waterfronts in the dead of winter, I love these.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 2:40 PM on August 15, 2017

Using "quotes" for "emphasis" just makes smells like "fish" even more unappealing.
posted by ckape at 5:06 PM on August 15, 2017

Sometimes I vacation in Ocean City, NJ. A few years ago I decided to walk the length of the barrier island (which is 7 miles) and got up at 5:30 to do it. It was just amazing watching the beach come to life. Birds, fishermen, old women walking, fit people jogging, antsy children, early boats heading out, utility workers cleaning the beach, finally the lifeguards arriving for morning workout, sailing class starting. It was a wonderful day. This reminded me of that moment by moment change.
posted by Miko at 6:18 PM on August 15, 2017 [2 favorites]

They don't sleep anymore on the beach.
posted by Hey Dean Yeager! at 8:19 PM on August 15, 2017

#40 is my favourite bc i just want to get them some young pope tracksuits
posted by poffin boffin at 8:50 PM on August 15, 2017

also i forgot i posted this
posted by poffin boffin at 8:50 PM on August 15, 2017 [1 favorite]