Happy Independence Day!

No matter your true feelings on celebrating the current state of America, I hope those who are ringing in the long holiday weekend marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in your own special way—maybe it’s a cookout, a concert in the park, gathering the family for the local parade, hanging out at your local beach or lake, posting up at a dive bar, cranking out frozen drinks from a blender, or floating your worries away aboard a seafaring vessel.

I should have learned my lesson with last year’s Fourth of July chaos that living a couple blocks from the Brooklyn Waterfront and a quick walk from the Brooklyn Promenade—two of the most desirable viewing points for this morning’s historic Sail4th 250 flotilla and tonight’s fireworks display from the Brooklyn Bridge—offers no special access or privileges. That is instead afforded to select locals, VIPs, and hoards of citizens who hold one of the access passes that were raffled off earlier this week.

I know, I know… BTP Problems. But I went out for an early morning constitutional this morning at 8:30 a.m., the streets and Adam Yauch Park still littered with tree branches snapped off during last night’s severe storm, hoping I’d be able to walk up and down the piers before the crowds assembled but was swiftly turned away at the first checkpoint as the Goodyear Blimp floating overhead mocked me from above.

Yesterday morning I had my last official access of the weekend at the Brooklyn Promenade, where I posted up on a bench with a wraparound view of the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn Bridge, waterfront, and the Statue of Liberty. I soaked it all in for a half hour or so while tearing apart a sugary and sticky kouign-amann from nearby L’Apartment 4F.

I looked down at Concrete Shoals, the dockside clubhouse where I briefly entertained, or at least aspired, to post up to watch the fireworks overhead until I saw how much they were asking for a ticket for such a, rightfully so, envy-inducing perspective. Tall ships and yachts were docking as the Staten Island Ferry and tugs crossed paths on their respective routes. I was hoping to catch sight of the Italian Navy training ship, the Amerigo Vespucci. She’ll be docked at Pier 86 through July 8 though there is, naturally, a ticket required for a topside tour.