Hundreds of boats participated in the 11th annual Leverick Bay Poker Run on Sunday.
Music blared from the dockside bar at Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour as poker run participants tied off their boats and retrieved their fourth card before finishing at Leverick Bay. Some of the participants bought a drink, while others did maintenance on their engines before completing the last leg of the event.
Acting General Manager of Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour Keith Thomas snapped photos on his cell phone of the incoming boats. This year the boats “sounded quieter” coming in to the marina compared to last year, but he was still impressed with the participation.
“In this slow period it is actually some excitement for the shopping area,” Mr. Thomas said.
Prior to the event, Mr. Thomas gave businesses notice that there would be an influx of boat traffic and potential customers. Most of the visitors bought drinks at the Rendezvous Bar, where they collected their card.
As far as the marina, Mr. Thomas arranged docked boats prior to the poker run, so that there was enough room for the participants. The general manager also made sure there was plenty of fuel on hand.
“Yes, our sales went up,” Mr. Thomas said.
It is the second year that the poker run has stopped at the VG marina, and Mr. Thomas hopes to continue its relationship with the event. However, he is exploring some ideas for next year to keep the boaters at the marina longer, so they will spend more money.
The boat captain of Predator, Ramon Martinez of Puerto Rico, has been coming to the poker run for the past four years. He enjoys the event because he is able to get his boat on the water with other boaters who share the same passion.
“It is one of my biggest hobbies in my life,” Mr. Martinez said.
His 2003 bright yellow and orange boat stood out among the other participants. The 50-foot boat can top more than 90 miles per hour with more than 2,000 horsepower.
However, size doesn’t matter according to organisers and stress that the “event is not a race.” Participants compete for the best poker hand by collecting cards at five different stops around the territory. Some boaters were in vessels just big enough for one person, while more than a 100 people took a chartered ferry. Sir Richard Branson even tried his luck while competing aboard a tender. All told, 181 hands were played.
“There are a lot boats I have never seen before,” Jamie Scatliffe of Tortola said.
He has participated six times in the poker run and couldn’t be happier with this year’s event.
“I have my cooler full of cold drinks and my crew (which consisted mostly of females.),” he said.
He buys and sells boats and noticed that several of his previous boats were also participating in the poker run. He was competing in a customised 31-foot boat with two outboard motors.
“It is just a normal boat,” Mr. Scatliffe said. “Get around; get in and get out. Just having fun. It is not one of the big boys — I haven’t reached that stage yet.”
He stood near his boat docked at the VG marina waiting for his crew to return with their cards. He wasn’t paying much attention to what cards they had, but he did notice all the boats that came into the harbour.
“Look at this red boat. It is a beautiful boat,” he said. “This is just like going to church with the congregation. Look at all the guys with the boats — most of them are friends and some of them are becoming more friendly.”
He would like to see the poker run being held twice a year.
Despite a few changes in this year’s course, Mr. Martinez said the event was “very well organised.”
The race started in North Sound, with competitors collecting their first card at Leverick Bay after registration.
The first stop was at Scrub Island. The resort’s marina filled up quickly with boats spilling over into the adjacent channel. A large group of people waited in line to collect their second card near the docks. But after about 20 minutes, most of the boats were back on course heading to the third stop at Village Cay.
The boaters had lunch and collected their fourth card at Pirates on Norman Island, before heading back to VG for the last two stops — Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour and Leverick Bay resort.
The weather cooperated with the boaters as well. Mr. Martinez said the sea was “very rough” earlier in the week when he made the trip to the Virgin Islands from PR, but “it was worth it,” he said.
“We arrived on Friday and have been taking it easy having some Painkillers, some Bushwhackers and a little bit of fun,” Mr. Martinez said.
The event is heavily supported by boaters from Puerto Rico, but others from around the region and US also take part in the annual poker run, including Florida, St. Martin and the USVI.
Mr. Martinez has never won the poker run and doesn’t care about winning. But he wasn’t ready to disclose the four cards he had already drawn. “Let’s wait until the end, my friend,” he said.
However, he was feeling good about his chances.
“I got nice cards this year,” Mr. Martinez said. “It is the best I have ever had in the last four years that I have been coming here. I don’t care about the winning. I like the sharing and having a lot of fun.”
The event finished at Leverick Bay resort with a fashion show over the resort’s pool followed by an award ceremony.
Organiser Nick Willis said there were more than 1,000 people at the award ceremony.
“There were so many boats you couldn’t see water in the harbour,” Mr. Willis said. “It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.”
The poker run donated $4,000 to the Virgin Gorda Charitable Trust and $1,000 to Virgin Gorda Animal Rescue.
First place of $7,500 went to VG resident Joseph Smith with a Flush.
Second place was Bob Barnhart with four Kings. He took home $4,000.
And third place went to Troy Barzey with four Queens for $2,000.
Mr. Scatliffe has never won the event, but has had friends who have taken home prizes.
“I guess I don’t have Lady Luck on my side. It don’t really matter to me — if I win, I win. If I lose, I lose,” Mr. Scatliffe said. “It’s all for charity.”