Nothing is ever a disaster because it can always be used as an example. : )
I notice that the before and after shots you include for comparison have a different kind of luminary from the first one with the "issue."
You show "solitary" lamp housings and "triple-headed" ones that appear as you expected.
Looking at the reflections of the "solitary" lamps on the ridges of ripples in the relatively smooth water produces a similar distinctive source of flare for each reflection point as from the luminary itself.
Not all of the sources have the same amount of this flare. A couple appear to have none at all. The flare matches the colour of its source.
My first impulse is that something was between the lens and the lamps during the second shot that was not there for the first or the third.
What would cause that kind of flare?
Judging by the direction and the type of flair and the camera, that something was one or more hairs or threads from a hat you may have been wearing.
Sorry, that's all I've got for you. BTW, how long was your hair? Were you wearing anything like a hat—everyone else was wearing a jacket.