Terra Ceia Island has been inhabited for more than five hundred years. The Terra Ceia Poker Regatta is a way for Floridians to connect with the past by paddling the same hidden mangroves as the ancient Timucans, Spanish Explorers, Cuban fishermen, and the odd Union sailor chasing Confederates. And connect they did; almost 140 of them on a beautiful Saturday May morning.
The paddlers gathered at Seabreeze Park at 8:00 AM to unload their crafts; everything from kayaks and canoes to paddleboards. Everyone registers with Melissa Neitzke and Julia Applegate, and gets their first poker card, course map, water bottle, and most important of all, the cool Poker Regatta hats to keep the sun off.
It took awhile to launch over 100 boats. The kayakers struggled to hold their boats in place in the high winds until the starting horn.
The exciting course took kayakers along windy Terra Ceia Bay. Then they tucked into unique mangrove tunnels so narrow everyone had to go single file. The tunnels opened up in the calm waters of Miguel Bay; through another mangrove tunnel to a secret sand beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and the Skyway Bridge until finally winding its way back to SeaBreeze Park.
After the two+ hour struggle, the boaters came back to Seabreeze Park for a much needed picnic of cheeseburgers, hotdogs, and delectable homemade side dishes donated by our generous members. Afterwards paddlers took out their cards to scheme the best hand.
Win-Win
1st Place Winner - Bill and Laura Krul
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