Bayside Poker Run set for July 26

By Bill Sterling

The 19th annual Bayside Poker Run to be held on Saturday, July 26 will have a new wrinkle with the addition of Occohannock Creek to waterways boaters will have the option of navigating along the Chesapeake Bay.

Headquartered at the Eastern Shore Yacht & Country Club and sponsored by the Pungoteague Ruritan Club and the Onancock Rotary Club, this year’s event will offer a north-south option and allow boaters to choose either Onancock or Occohannock creeks in addition to stops on Pungoteague and Nandua creeks.

The Bayside Poker Run is a fun event that creates a special camaraderie among boaters and culminates in an award ceremony on the grounds of the Eastern Shore Yacht & Country Club, where boaters and their families enjoy a picnic prepared by the Onancock Rotary Club. They also receive dock prizes and await the announcement of the two major winners.

Any boat owner may register to participate in the event, which is an opportunity to explore the bay and its tributaries in a fun and leisurely fashion.  It is not a race, but simply boaters choosing their own course and own pace to locate and visit five pre-chosen locations designated on a nautical chart with notes and guidelines.

The event has long offered a land option if rough seas made participants uncomfortable traveling by water. All checkpoints are easily accessible by land if the boater for any reason decides to use that option.

Competition in the event will be in two parts. The “navigational skill” part will be for boaters to plot a course which will enable them to “log in” at six specific locations plus two mystery locations within designated time allowances. These locations will be spread among the four creeks and will be disclosed to all captains simultaneously at a captains’ meeting on the morning of the event. Points in this competition will also be earned in ‘Survivor-type’ challenges in various activities.

The “luck” part of the event will involve boaters picking up a playing card at each of the six locations and bringing a poker hand to a final destination at 5 p.m.  At this location all boats meet to disclose their hands and have navigation sheets evaluated. The navigation prize will be $500 and the poker prize will be a Fall Vacation Getaway package of equal value for a grand prize total value of $1000.

A raffle featuring a blue crab bronze sculpture by David Turner will also be held with the drawing at the awards ceremony.

Registration for the event is $150 for the boat/vehicle and captain, which also includes four crew members. Extra crew beyond four members are $25 each, and extra poker hand entries are $75. Entries include the meal at the awards banquet following the event and a chance at many dock prizes donated by local merchants. Winners of the skills competition and the poker hand collected from six locations win prizes up to $1,000 in value.

Captain’s Sponsors are also available for $250 and includes five crew members plus recognition on signs and in the program. Additional sponsorships of $150 are also available for business and individuals who wish to support the organizations who will benefit from the proceeds of the event.

Registration forms must be received in advance prior to July 18. Entries will be limited to a number of boats and vehicles the committee feels can be safely handled, so don’t delay.

For more information or to obtain registration forms, email Courtney Nottingham at [email protected] or call 757-710-5739 or 789-3500. Registration forms can also be picked up at 25020 Shore Parkway Suite 1E, Onley, Va. 23418 (Onley Town Center).