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flotilla of lighted kayaks added a graceful new note to Oriental’s Spirit of Christmas this year. A half dozen kayakers, their vessels lighted up for the season, glided in to the harbor just after sunset Friday and along with more than a dozen lighted sail and power boats at docks around the harbor, helped to get the 2013 Spirit of Christmas off to its start.

Dick Nelson and Katherine Gillenwater, at the Oriental Town Dock after paddling in to the harbor for the opening night of Spirit of Christmas.

On the wharf, a throng of spectators welcomed in the new fleet of the kayakers, who pulled up for a while — and accepted cups of hot cider to warm hands chilled by the paddle from the Midyette Street small boat launch.

Cups of hot cider were one reward for the kayak flotilla. (Another had been the cheers from the crowd along the waterfront.)

The kayakers took off from the small boat launch at the end of Midyette Street, near the Oriental Bridge.

The light theme continued on land, with some joyful sounds as well. Moments later, some of the Pamlico High School Choir and their director, Patrick Bliss performed in multiple part harmonies — and led the crowd in — Christmas carols by the Town Dock. The Oriental Star on its post at the Town Dock, was lighted for the season. And along Hodges and Oriental’s other main streets — Broad, South Avenue, Freemason — 800 luminaria laid out a lighted path.

Patrick Bliss, the choir director at Pamlico High and a half dozen students sang — and led the crowd in singing — Christmas carols for the lighting of the Oriental Star at the Town Dock.

Click here to hear an excerpt from Carol of the Bells:

The luminarias typically have been lighted on Saturday night, but with a forecast of rain for then, the spectacle moved to Friday. Enough volunteers answered the call and a day early set out and lighted the candles in the white paper bags. The luminaria tradition continued.

Along South Avenue, the luminaria lighted the way near the stump of the Artesian oak.

This was Spirit of Christmas in transition. A few weeks before, there was some question as to whether all of the events would take place, as there was no one chief organizer for the entire weekend. As it happened, several people stepped up to organizing individual aspects of it.

On Friday night on Hodges Street candles were distributed during the caroling. Some younger participants were very attentive to keeping them lit, just as a group of organizers and volunteers of this year’s Spirit of Christmas kept it going.

Marsha Paplham got other volunteers to assemble and then set out the luminaria. Jennifer Baker arranged for the choir and star lighting. Larry Summers pressed for having a lot of boats lighted up on the harbor.

The scene on Hodges Street at the Town Dock where people gathered to see the lighted sailboats and powerboats, and welcome the lighted kayaks in. It was also the place to watch the lighting of the Oriental Star (on a post at the street end of the Town Dock.

There was another attempt this year to have a flotilla of larger boats off of the South Avenue waterfront. But not enough boats signed up and it was scrubbed, as was last year’s. In the absence of that larger boat flotilla – which was always a bit of a stretch to see in the channel from the South Ave waterfront, anyway — the lighted kayaks came to the rescue. The paddlers tucking right up to the spectators proved to be popular. So was was the chance to walk up close to the larger lighted boats at Oriental Marina, the Town Dock and the newly opened Town Dock alongside Oriental Marina.

On the harbor, at the newly opened Town Dock – on the former Chris Fulcher dock received in the land swap – a few boats tied up. To right is Tarantella, tied up at the Oriental Marina’s fuel dock.

There was talk right away of hoping the kayakers would return next year. Perhaps even more would join their ranks.

More Photos from Friday’s start of 2013’s Spirit of Christmas, lighted kayaks, lights on the harbor, ahead.

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Posted Monday December 16, 2013 by Melinda Penkava