by Bonne Olsen
LAKE LANIER POKER RUN — Those words conjure up all kinds of images of cigarette boats running amok creating havoc on the waterways. And yes, the Pirates of Lanier Charity does attract big, little and medium size boats, literally hundreds from all over the country every year. But this year Old Wooden Boats were added to the mix with special reserved dock space.
A total of 21 boats of all makes and models created their own sensation. At about 10AM a little caravan of six boats started out with a goal of reaching 4 out of the 6 posted locations for card pick up. Directed by our fearless guide Craig Miller (who’d never done this before) on Brown-eyed Girl, we approached each post along with other boats, in an orderly fashion to receive our card envelope. What was amazing was at each of the stops the Pirate staff and random on lookers sitting along the dock, cheered, complimented and photographed our boats like we were celebrities.
There’s no denying it, the water was rough in places which is to be expected in a vast lake like Lanier with so many boats coming and going. Even so we never encountered any big cigarette boats and all boaters were courteous in the rough water. But here’s the thing, our wooden boats were made for rough water and each captain handled the challenge with skill.
After our final card, we cruised to Safe Harbor via a peaceful no-wake-zone canal where we all enjoyed lunch at Fish Tales.
In the final night of the festivities when the poker hands were revealed, our Craig Miller won 3rd place with a $500 prize which he promptly donated back to the charity, along with another $500 if someone would match him. They did and the charity received $1,500, thanks to Blue Ridge Chapter.
Members, you are encouraged to attend next year, for a boating experience like no other.
CLICK HERE for photos of the event
CLICK HERE for the charity the event benefits
