A large, enthusiastic crowd of boaters gathered Saturday at the Fort McAllister Marina for the fifth annual Fish Tales Poker Run.

The  event that took boaters from the marina to St. Catherines Island, on to Sunbury Crab Company in Liberty County and back to the marina on Fort McAllister Road at the end of day. The poker run ended with a Lowcountry boil served buffet style at Fish Tales Restaurant and Bar at the marina while boaters watched the sun go down. Guitar Zane and Sundown provided entertainment.

Life preservers, portable coolers loaded with snacks and drink were loaded aboard individual boats for the 10:15 a.m. “shotgun” start, it was off through the salt marshes and down the Altamaha River. Boaters received a poker card at each destination. The object was to end up with the best poker hand of the day.

Registering boaters for the day’s events was Tammy Tennis, who provided each $50 entry with two cards, a T-shirt, lunch tickets for the Sunbury restaurant and the Lowcountry boil. The run began at Fish Tales, took them to a temporary tent set up on St. Catherine for another  card, then on to Sunbury Crab Co. where they were given a fourth  poker card.

Back at Richmond Hill’s Fish Tales, the boaters compared cards and turned them in. Prizes were awarded for first place and second place for the best hands, while those with the worst hands vied for other awards. There were plenty of giveaways and cash awards as well.