Located in New York County, New York, Water Taxi Beach is a beach. It lies in or next to Stonewall National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Long Island City, about 1.1 km (0.7 mi) away (Water Taxi Beach lies WSW of town).
Water Taxi Beach was an artificial temporary beach operated from 2005 to 2010 on a wharf on the East River in the Hunters Point section of Long Island City, in the New York City borough of Queens. It was operated by the New York Water Taxi Company and was open to the public for free during the summer months. The beach was also rented for private parties. In concept, Water Taxi Beach was similar to Paris Beach in Paris, France. The beach was operated by Harry Hawk and Tony Rosciglione and partners who ran the beach owned by NY Water Taxi, now Harbor Experience Companies. It was part of a public-private partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.From the Wikipedia article “Water Taxi Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Water Taxi Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 58° ENE | 8:31 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 121° ESE | 4:32 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 5:37 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 16m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Water Taxi Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 9 (inner-city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:34 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:39 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:16 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 1:47 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:49 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 9:50 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 7:48 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.41 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 60 | 58 | 63 | 77 | 80 | 87 | 94 | 90 | 86 | 84 | 69 | 64 |
| Low °F | 8 | 6 | 13 | 28 | 37 | 49 | 59 | 60 | 51 | 38 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 5.1 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Hunters Point, Newtown Creek, 247 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Water Taxi Beach, closest first.
State Park
State Park
State Park
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
Lake
Lake
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Gateway- Brooklyn Ny17.6 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway - Staten Island17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Water Taxi Beach?
What time is golden hour at Water Taxi Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Water Taxi Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Water Taxi Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Water Taxi Beach?
How far is Water Taxi Beach from Long Island City?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.