We’ve gotten lots of enthusiastic recommendations to go to Port de Grave during the holiday season to see the Christmas lights on all the boats in the harbor.
The first time we tried, it was a grey Sunday in December and we took an awfully long time to get everyone rounded up with coats and mittens and coloring books for the car ride. By the time we got outside the city, the sky was already starting to get darker, and a few snowflakes drifted down on the highway. Within half an hour we were on a winding mountain road, in the dark, with heavy snow whipping all around. We made a slow and careful retreat back home, where we were grateful to sit by the fireplace and spend the evening with a movie instead.
A few weeks later, it was bitterly cold out, we were stuck at home on Christmas break, we’d canceled our trip back to Maine amidst another covid outbreak, and taking a scenic drive to see the lights seemed like a perfect covid-safe expedition to get out of the house for a bit. We left earlier so we’d be able to see the scenery along the way, and it was a really beautiful drive. The sun was just setting as we got to Port de Grave and the whole harbor was alight. We found a spot to park at the visitors center up on the hill, and I scrambled up atop the jagged cliff behind it, to get a picture of the whole harbor. The wind was feeling Arctic and my fingers almost froze when I took my gloves off! But the whole town looked like a festive little Christmas diorama down below us, with the sunset sky and mountain silhouettes beyond.
