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riday night at Spirit of Christmas is about light — and making light as the sun goes down. People began to gather at the Town Dock on Hodges just before sunset, the Pamlico High choir leading the carols.

The Oriental Star was lit for another Christmas season. Also lighting the scene, the fading sun and the holiday lights from boats tied up at the Town Docks and at Oriental Marina. Lighted kayaks had also brought illumination to the edges of the harbor earlier.

At the edge of the harbor, lights appeared low on the water, as more than a dozen kayakers paddled in to show off their lighted craft. It was the second year the lighted kayaks made an appearance, their numbers doubling since last year.

A standup paddle boarder stood out among the lighted kayaks.

At the Town Dock and Oriental Marina, larger boats lit up their higher freeboards. A switch was flipped and Oriental Star shined, while beyond the breakwater, a small flotilla of sailboats, lights outlining their masts and sail shape, glided by. Oriental’s main streets – Hodges and Broad and South Avenue – were stepping-stone illuminated with hundreds of luminaria.

More photos of the light show, ahead..

Boats near and at the Town Dock were lighted for the holiday. Here, the catboat, Circe.

Luminaria on the Oriental Bridge Friday night

Neil Landau took a momentary break from his paddling in and around the Town Dock. His kayak sported a Christmas Tree at the bow.

Two kayakers at the edge of Oriental’s harbor.

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Lighted kayaks — and paddle board — make their approach.

Kayakers with their lighted craft amid the big lighted boats in Oriental’s harbor.

A couple of white ducks were a greeting party to the lighted kayaks.

Just beyond the breakwater at the edge of Oriental’s harbor, a procession of larger boats passed, their masts and sail shape outlined with lights. They traveled toward the Oriental bridge.

More lighted boats just outside the harbor. Some of them would come in and tie up for the night at Oriental’s new Town Dock.

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In fading sunlight, the boats motored toward the Oriental Bridge.

No snow was in the air, but there were some representational flakes dangling on a boat at Oriental Marina. Every boat in every slip was lit up.

Another of the younger paddlers was Alden Kenney. His was among a dozen kayaks lighted up for the holidays, that travelled from the small boat dock to the Town Dock..

Blue holiday lights on the standup paddler.

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Luminaria on Hodges Friday night leading up to the Provision Company’s compass dragon.

Santa and reindeer on the bow of a boat at Oriental Marina

A snowman resists melting under a curtain of lights on a boat.

Sarah Goodnight was one of the dozen or so kayakers who lighted up and lit out from the small boat dock to Oriental’s Harbor and the Town Dock.

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Hodges Street luminaria.

Lighting the way.

Luminaria light the way in to Oriental from the bridge.

Oriental Star shining over the Town Dock on Hodges Street for the 2014 holiday season.

To see the Saturday parade from 2014 Spirit of Christmas,click here.

Posted Wednesday December 17, 2014 by Melinda Penkava

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