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Closing Bell: Camping in Brooklyn

Categories: Closing Bell, Marine Park

brooklyn-camping-adams-nydn.jpg
A NY Daily News reporter received an unusual assignment-—go camping in Brooklyn. The location? Floyd Bennett Field in Marine Park, the only public campground in New York City. The campground is located off the shores of Jamaica Bay within earshot of JFK Airport. Amenities include a cooking ring, picnic table, communal woodpile, and pit toilets. Campers should bring their own food, water, shelter, and toilet paper. Unfortunately, in an average year, fewer than 1,000 people experience this "Brooklyn gem." With money being tight, maybe this would be the best and cheapest alternative to that summer vacation.
Photo by Adams for NYDN.



By TCulver at May 18, 2009 4:00 PM | Comments (48)

48 Comments

By altervoce on May 18, 2009 4:05 PM

Looks like bringing your own kindling wouldn't be such a bad idea either.

By daveinbedstuy on May 18, 2009 4:07 PM

That's not how you split wood for chrissakes. And what the hell are those chairs??? That hipster'd get laughed off the island up on Lake George with our crowd. And what are those legging things he's wearing. Is this a new reality show???

By Biff Champion on May 18, 2009 4:13 PM

"And what are those legging things he's wearing"

You mean socks?

By dirty_hipster on May 18, 2009 4:14 PM

This sounds fun.

By infinitejester on May 18, 2009 4:19 PM

I don't see no leggings.

Don't chop wood with your foot near the base of the chopping block. Other than that, his technique is correct.

By bayridgegirl on May 18, 2009 4:20 PM

I've been to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife and it's really nice. You would never think you were in NYC. We saw the campgrounds and thought they were great as some were very close to the water. It's a lovely setting.
I think next gathering should be at a campsite. I'll bring the marshmallows.

By altervoce on May 18, 2009 4:20 PM

DIBS, he is wearing a sock on his right foot. The thing on his left leg is a bandage from an earlier wood-splitting accident.

By etson on May 18, 2009 4:23 PM

Where do people bathe if they stay here??

By dirty_hipster on May 18, 2009 4:23 PM

I feel his socks may be mismatched.

By dirty_hipster on May 18, 2009 4:25 PM

"Where do people bathe if they stay here??"

I thought the point of camping was that it was one of the few times where it's socially acceptable NOT to bathe.

By daveinbedstuy on May 18, 2009 4:25 PM

Actually altervoce....it may not be a legging or a bandage just pasty white skin that matches his socks.

A hatchet is not a wide enough wedge when splitting. Use a maul.

There's no running water there??? Fuggeddaboutit.

By Arkady on May 18, 2009 4:25 PM

It actually looks as if one is an artificial leg & he still hasn't learned how to cut wood safely.

By bayridgegirl on May 18, 2009 4:26 PM

"The thing on his left leg is a bandage from an earlier wood-splitting accident."

This guy is super white...That is his LEG!

By sixyearsandcounting on May 18, 2009 4:26 PM

"within earshot of JFK Airport"

In other words, it's not really camping.

By bayridgegirl on May 18, 2009 4:26 PM

^^^sorry, am I race baiting here?

By daveinbedstuy on May 18, 2009 4:27 PM

They don't etson. That's why it appeals to DH. :)

Even if there were a stream it'd be polluted. This isn't John Muir woods in the Rockies, folks.

By Biff Champion on May 18, 2009 4:28 PM

"I thought the point of camping was that it was one of the few times where it's socially acceptable NOT to bathe."

DH, can you name a couple of the other times where it's socially acceptable not to bathe, other than camping and at a Brownstoner drink up?

By Biff Champion on May 18, 2009 4:29 PM

"A hatchet is not a wide enough wedge when splitting. Use a maul."

Sheesh, someone sure has an axe to grind.

By Arkady on May 18, 2009 4:30 PM

Ahhh. Finally a worthy topic for today.

By infinitejester on May 18, 2009 4:30 PM

I'm way whiter than that guy, I knew it was his leg.

By InsertSnappyNameHere on May 18, 2009 4:31 PM

I was all for the Brooklyn camping until you all mentioned the lack of bathing opportunities. Besides, where could a PBL set up her nine pillows? NEXT!!

By dirty_hipster on May 18, 2009 4:32 PM

haha very funny guys ;)

for the record i bathed last thursday.

By benson on May 18, 2009 4:32 PM

I love the Jamaica Bay area. It is a hidden gem of Brooklyn. Years ago I had a friend who had a boat down there. When we were in the middle of the bay on his boat, you would never knew you were in NYC.

I second BRG's endorsement of the Jamaica Bay wildlife refuge.

One of my dreams is that someday we get another Robert Moses around this town - someone who can get things done - and he takes on the burial of the Belt Parkway (even an open cut like Hicks Street would be fine), opening up this treasure to Brooklyn again.

By dirty_hipster on May 18, 2009 4:34 PM

haha snappy!

i'm more concerned about how to keep beer cold for a few days. might have to rough it with some nice red wine, or good bourbon.

By Biff Champion on May 18, 2009 4:35 PM

Are the pit toilets at least made by TOTO?
Where would I plug in my espresso machine?
If a hipster falls in the forest, would he spill his shot of Jameson?

At least if this guy gets lost, the pilots flying to JFK should be able to spot him by the reflection off his pasty legs.

By dittoburg on May 18, 2009 4:38 PM

I would warn not to go to Jamaica Bay widllife refuge for winter geese watching - its awful cold. The horseshoe crab season and summer are better.

By daveinbedstuy on May 18, 2009 4:39 PM

You eat horseshoe crabs, ditto??????

By InsertSnappyNameHere on May 18, 2009 4:41 PM

DH, we gotta get you one of those battery powered mini-fridges...keeps the beer cold and the campers happy :)

By bayridgegirl on May 18, 2009 4:42 PM

In all seriousness you highfalutin Assheads, go to the Wildlife refuge.
Take the ‘A’ train and then it’s a 1/2 mile walk to the refuge. It's a nice way to spend an afternoon, looking at nature right here in Brooklyn.

http://www.nyharborparks.org/visit/jaba.html

By benson on May 18, 2009 4:44 PM

BRG;

The wildlife refuge is in Queens :-P

Another point of going to the refuge is that it is on Broad Channel Island, which is more akin to a New England town than NYC.

By Biff Champion on May 18, 2009 4:44 PM

Does anyone know where one can get crabs this time of year?
And please don't tell me from someone hanging around the Port Authority.

By dirty_hipster on May 18, 2009 4:47 PM

"Another point of going to the refuge is that it is on Broad Channel Island, which is more akin to a New England town than NYC."

Definitely - You definitely feel like your in NE on Broad Channel - City Island in the Bronx is kinda new englandy too.

By daveinbedstuy on May 18, 2009 4:50 PM

Peaches had soft shell crabs Saturday night.

By Crownlfc on May 18, 2009 4:52 PM

Tculver: You may have explain where Marine Park is, as the average "Brownstoner" probably thinks Brooklyn ends at Sunset Park or Windsor Terrace. Haha

By PitbullNYC on May 18, 2009 4:53 PM

my ex gave me crabs FOUR times and each time he had some ridiculous story to go along with it. :-/

*rob*

By dirty_hipster on May 18, 2009 4:54 PM

Crown - i thought Marine Park was Super South Slope.

By sixyearsandcounting on May 18, 2009 5:12 PM

Rob, is that the ex whose text message you found and whose kitchen you shut down?

By Brenda from Flatbush on May 18, 2009 5:19 PM

About 8 years ago, my daughter and I camped overnight in Floyd Bennet field as part of the "Junior Rangers" summer camp program (sadly, I think it may have been discontinued, it used many of the sites in Gateway Nat'l Park for teaching eco-stuff). We went seining in the bay and slept in platform tents with nearby Port-o-sans; no showers; lots of ants; my daughter was allergic to the moldy tent flaps and sneezed violently all night. As a fellow camper's mom said, "Longest night of my life." But it was fun, in a weird sort of way.

By PitbullNYC on May 18, 2009 5:21 PM

yep six that's the one

*rob*

By Montrose Morris on May 18, 2009 5:34 PM

You guys are funny today! Best laugh I've had all day.

By randolph on May 18, 2009 5:35 PM

rob's crabs may actually be the thing to drive me away from this site. jeeeeeeeeeezus. keep SOME things to yourself, man.

By denton on May 18, 2009 5:35 PM

He's wearing standard wool hiking socks. Normally underneath those you'd wear silk or polypro undersocks, if any of y'all have ever done some real long distance hiking. Of course since he will probably not even walk a mile, he's being a real poseur, with an axe to match.

By anonymoustache on May 18, 2009 8:11 PM

i love that his shirt matches his usc chairs and his had matches his tent. he's so fashionable.

By mgm on May 18, 2009 8:13 PM

Warning: I'm pretty sure it's group camping only, so don't show up with your family and expect to get a spot.

By tinarina on May 18, 2009 8:38 PM

Even with ax or maul at the ready, do muggers spare campers here? Only in NYC would I have this thought.

By Biff Champion on May 19, 2009 8:20 AM

I thought those were Redskins chairs, not USC Trojans chairs.

tinarina, I was thinking the same thing.

By the chicken on May 19, 2009 9:08 AM

Camping, like running, should only be practiced by the poor....

By serpentor on May 19, 2009 10:47 AM

Davinbedstuy, those are his *legs* and for all his inability to split wood, I think he gets a pass in the sartorial department. He's wearing shorts, a t-shirt and hiking boots.

I'm going camping there next.

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