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Cruise of Lights pictures include a Huntington Harbour (Huntington Beach,
California), lit home with several boats docked in front, and Santa's reindeer
looking perky on the one boat.
Cruise of Lights celebration get the
harbor folks to decorate their boats. Maybe they would do it, anyway (who
knows?). But it's clear to see that on a warm Southern California night in
December that the lights on the water shine especially bright.
In the picture above, the water simply
shimmers with deep purple, orange and yellow, reflecting the lights above. If
you drive up and down the California coast during December, you'll discover that
wherever
there's a harbor or marina, you're likely to find at least someone stringing
lights on a boat or house nearby.
At this particular harbor (Huntington),
many of the lit homes cannot be observed unless you are out on the waterways and
manmade channels of this residential community. Our favorite way to see the lit
boats and homes helps support the local schools. It is called Cruise of Lights,
and includes narrations of the event and homes. Another method of getting
around is to bring your own boat. Then the final way that is still one of our
favorites are the gondola guys at Sunset Gondola. They are fantastic for
navigating the channels, and offer an hour-long boat cruise.
Whatever you choose, if you drive around
on the city streets of Huntington Harbour you will still find some decorated
homes. They are delightful, as well. But the real action is on the backside of
the water properties. This is where they really put on a show with colored
lights, animations, and some interesting objects. For instance, my friends,
Connie & Bob Mandic, put a huge, inflatable eagle on the top of their roof and
lit it with spotlights, tying it to the patriotic theme their harbor-front home
won an award for. When I flew over in a commercial jet, I could see that
big old eagle on their roof, believe it or not. - Debbie Stock
