A day before the rains hit NYC, an estimated 1500 people arrived at Battery Park wearing blue to form a human line around the southern tip of Manhattan to mark the new water line if sea levels rise due to climate change.

Activist and founder of Step It Up Bill McKibben (also in blue) spoke to the sea of people before he headed off to DC (via train) for the evening rally there. The crowd cheered as McKibben listed several of the 1300 Step It Up events taking place across the country, more than he ever imagined would come together to send congress a message to reduce emissions 80% by 2050.

Volunteers had stacks of postcards ready for signatures to send off to Washington and at least one congressman was listening – Anthony Wiener who represents the NYC boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens also spoke at the rally.

Sea of People organizers were pleased with the turnout and the fact that the weather cooperated. Participants went all out with very creative blue costumes. There were polar bears, whales, an iceberg, blue flippers and swimming goggles, crowns, tiarras, and lots of face paint. The crowd got some strange looks from tourists waiting in the line for the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.

Most of the major NYC area media outlets were there (TV, radio and newspapers – it got a small mention in the NY Times) and by the end of the day reports from the Sea of People event and other Step It Up events throughout the US were posted on the Step It Up website, which has called the campaign a success.