With the pink and orange sunset setting the scene, colors rippled through the dark waters of Onset Bay as dozens of neon-clad kayaks, paddle boards and canoes made their way around Wicketts Island and back.

The Onset Bay Center hosted its second Glow-in-the-Dark Paddle Monday, Sept. 8 with countless participants decked out in their finest light-up gear. The event spans two days with another outing on Wednesday, Sept. 10 due to high interest. 

Center Director, Angie Weldon, said that the glow paddle is meant to keep people on the water in what many consider, "off-season." 

"This is a great way to stay outside for a little bit longer during the year," she said. "We have a really beautiful night again just like we did last year."

The center was expecting 80 people total for the first night. Weldon said her favorite part of hosting the event was the creativity she sees from the community.

"I always think I do a pretty good job decorating my kayak, but then people come and they have these wild designs that they've spent a lot of time making," she said.

For Middleboro residents Joanne and Glenn Hayes, decorating meant covering their kayaks in Christmas lights and duct tape.

"I bought these old Christmas lights I never ended up using— they never came on time," Glenn said. "They're USB powered and I got little battery packs."

Calling themselves, "Recreational kayakers," the trio had never kayaked at night before. 

"I just love bing out on the water— the peacefulness of it," Joanne said.

Music flowed through the bay as different crafts used the lights of Onset in the distance to guide them back to shore. Paddles and oars dipped into the unknown with glow sticks and LED lights dotting the waters.

For 4-year-old Luke Fuller, it isn't his first time out on the water. He participated in a pirate adventure with the center once before and was excited to see what he might find during the glow paddle.

"I want to see sharks," he said. 

Luke said he would fight the sharks, while 2-year-old Bennett Fuller said he wouldn't. Battling marine life isn't the only thing the two disagreed on. 

Luke claimed he was going to be leading their boat out on the water.

"No, I'm going to drive the boat," Bennett said.

Regardless of who was in charge of steering, Luke had watchful eyes through his light-up glasses as the event concluded.

"I saw ten sharks out there," he said.