A Bonfire at Herring Cove is Quietly Exhilarating, Even in December

Dressed for the occasion, you can still enjoy a bonfire with a
winter sunset on spectacular Herring Cove Beach, in Provincetown.

That warmish winter weather we've been having lately has been attracting folks to Herring Cove for a bonfire at sunset, despite the ever-present breeze along the shoreline. This always puts a smile on my face.
This little band of hardy souls typically piles out of a couple of vehicles about an hour before sunset, dressed to suit the bracing weather in hats, gloves and parkas, with a blanket or two to wrap up in if they need to.
While the water and clouds begin changing colors, a couple of folks carry a wood box, along with a few tools and various impedimenta, to the sandy shore, and someone begins setting up beach chairs while a couple of others dig a little fire pit and coax a tiny flame and a bit of kindling into a small but satisfying blaze.
A stroll on the water's edge, a conversation and a laugh around the fireside, and gazing alternately between the flickering firelight and a glorious sunset… What better way to end a wintery afternoon in Provincetown?

If you decide to try this yourself some evening, it takes just a bit of planning. Remember to leave the beach exactly as you found it, and don't forget to get your bonfire permit and rules from the park ranger ahead of time. Bon lumière!