Above photo by Joyce Morgan
The spirit of the season will once again be shining brightly this Christmas in Port de Grave, N.L.
For the 22nd year, boats at the community wharf will be decorated and lit for the season from Dec. 11 to Jan. 6, 2021.
“2020 has been a year for the history books, with snowmageddon (in January) and COVID-19, we are hoping that the harbour will shine so brightly that they will see us in outer space,” said Joyce Morgan, chairperson of the organizing committee in an interview.
Last year, more than 70 boats took part in the annual Conception Bay North community tradition. Each boat usually has anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 lights or more, plus Christmas decorations, said Morgan, adding the spectacle attracts an average of 20,000 plus visitors to the community over the course of three and half weeks, depending on the weather.
“The residents of the Port de Grave Peninsula love when the boats are lit,” said Morgan. “They enjoy the many visitors who come from all over to view the spectacular site. Not only are the boats something to see, the people go all out and deck out their homes. We have one particular house that has become famous, the Candy Cane house owned by Ellsworth and Dot Petten. He is affectionately known as the Candy Cane man. He will set up a display with hundreds of candy canes. When entering the harbour this is the first you see.”
The annual boat lighting ceremony is slated for Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. at the marginal wharf in Port de Grave. “This year we are not sure if we will be allowed to hold the ceremony because of COVID-19,” said Morgan. “If we are not allowed to have the ceremony, we will do it virtually.”
Over the past few years, an average of 1,500 plus people have attended the lighting ceremony.
“They come from everywhere to take part and enjoy the ceremony… two years ago we had a doctor and his wife fly in from Ontario just to see the boats being lit… We have some singers, a few speeches, the mummers and of course a visit from Santa.”
The boats are always lit up every night to and including Old Christmas Day, Jan. 6, said Morgan.
“The best time to see the lights is between 5 p.m. and 12 midnight. Each boat uses their own timers and some have them come on at that time and go out around 12” while others have the lights on all night.
The annual Port de Grave boat lighting has attracted national and international attention over the years. “We even have our very own song “Christmas in Port de Grave” written and sung by the Singing Fisherman, Wayne Morgan (Red),” said Morgan.
The tradition began in 1999 when Port de Grave was selected to become the last port of call for the Viking ship, the Islendingur, in the summer of 2000. That fall, the Newfoundland government sponsored the Festival of Lights, whereby any community that was willing to participate by lighting up their community for Christmas would receive a grant in the amount of $500.
“We decided what a way to celebrate Christmas by lighting up the harbour,” said Morgan. “The years previous to that one lone fisherman Eric Lear would light up his fishing boat, so we thought what a wonderful idea to go to all the fishermen and ask them to participate in lighting up their boats.”
Thirty-six boats participated in the first boat lighting, said Morgan. Over the years, more fishermen and pleasure craft boat owners have been participating with an average of 60 to 70 boats taking part.
“The boat lighting has brought comfort to the sick, the lonely and the shut-ins,” said Morgan “Seniors homes in the area bring residents by the bus load to see the lights, families come by the car load… we look forward to many more years of keeping this tradition going.”
