LAKE OF THE OZARKS — It's the official kickoff to the boating season at Lake of the Ozarks: Harbor Hop is just around the corner!
The 21st Annual Spring Harbor Hop poker run is set for Saturday, May 5. There may be no better way to celebrate the warmer weather of spring and the onset of the boating season at the "Best Recreational Lake" in the Nation than cruising the water, enjoying food, playing games, and winning big prizes?
Always an enjoyable day on the water, the Spring Harbor Hop has participants traveling by lake (or by land!) to their choice of over 40 lakeside restaurants, bars, resorts and marinas in an attempt to complete the best poker hand (or hands).
"The timing of the Hop typically coincides with some beautiful weather and stunning spring scenery, so you really can't ask for a better excuse to get back out on the water to enjoy yourself and time with your friends," said Tim Jacobsen, executive director for the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau.
More than a thousand people typically participate in the Spring Harbor Hop, and Jacobsen points out most make a full day of it, partaking of the food, fun and scenery of the Lake of the Ozarks, which was just named one of the premiere freshwater lakes in the country by BoatUS magazine.
photo courtesy of Lake of the Ozarks CVB
Participants begin their "hop" by making a suggested donation of $20 per hand and drawing their first card(s) at any of the participating venues. Six additional cards will be drawn for each hand as "hoppers" visit a selection of different Harbor Hop locations around the Lake. When the seventh card is drawn, the hand is complete and turned in at the location where that card was drawn. An additional card to help improve the hand can be purchased at that same location for a $5 donation.Â
Cash prizes will be awarded for the top 10 poker hands, as well as the four worst hands. There will be 10 randomly selected winners as well. All eligible hands must be turned in by 7 p.m. the day of the event. Winners will be notified by certified mail. There also will be prizes for "section winners" who complete their entire hand in one of these four sections:
-Section I is the Gravois Arm of the Lake
-Section II includes Bagnell Dam to the 13 mile marker on the Main Channel
-Section III runs from the 13.5 mile marker to the 26 mile marker on the Main Channel
-Section IV includes mile markers 28.5 through 38 on the Main Channel as well as the Big Niangua Arm
The majority of the Hop locations open at 11 a.m., though some open as early as 9 a.m. Hours will vary from location to location, so attendees should consult the list of locations and operating hours at www.FunLake.com/HarborHop.
