Soundings and AIM Marine Group Secure Multiple Honors in BWI Writing Competition
Last week Boating Writers International (BWI) announced the winners of its annual writing and photography competition. Titles from Active Interest Media’s (AIM) Marine Group, including Soundings, were recognized across several categories for work published in 2020. The awards are typically presented at the Miami Boat Show, but with that event canceled due to the pandemic, winners were revealed during an online ceremony hosted by BWI president Charlie Levine.
AIM’s marine titles captured 14 awards and five certificates of merit overall. Soundings alone earned three first-place awards, two second-place honors and one third-place placement, reflecting the magazine’s strength in narrative journalism, profiles, travel reporting and photography.
In the Boating Lifestyles category, Soundings contributor Wendy Mitman Clarke received 1st place for her feature “Sailing for the Soul,” a moving profile of a woman who learned to sail as a way to heal after the loss of her child. Judge Ben Stein praised the piece, saying, “’Sailing for the Soul’ makes us feel a mother’s pain of losing a son and invites us to join her journey to salvation by learning to sail.” The story stands out for its emotional clarity and the way it links personal recovery to life on the water.
Soundings executive editor Pim Van Hemmen won 1st place in the Boating Profiles category for “Threading the Needle,” a compelling portrait of one of the nation’s first female harbor pilots. Judge Lenny Rudow noted, “Many profile pieces wouldn’t be described as ‘gripping,’ but this one certainly was. The author kept up a great tempo and turned a very interesting subject into a topnotch article.” The profile highlights career challenges, seamanship and the determination behind a pioneering maritime life.
Also in Profiles, Soundings contributing writer and photographer Dieter Loibner earned 2nd place for “Able Artisan,” a story about a blacksmith who masters multiple traditional crafts and intentionally eschews modern technologies. That feature blends craftsmanship and character study, emphasizing the value of hands-on skills and the rich material culture surrounding small-boat communities.
Van Hemmen also captured 1st place in the Boating Photography category for an image titled “Yellow Warbler,” which shows a small bird perched on the bow of a schooner as both head south for the winter. Judge David Schmidt commented, “This yellow warbler made this judge smile on a rainy day. I hope the bird enjoyed its ride as much as the photographer enjoyed capturing its image.” The photo was singled out for its warmth, timing and the way it connects human passage with natural travelers.
In Boating Travel or Destinations, Van Hemmen placed 3rd for “The River that Flows Both Ways,” a reflective account of a slow trawler voyage on the Hudson River that combines local history, landscape description and the rhythms of cruising. Stories like this illustrate why travel writing remains an important strand of marine journalism: they invite readers to imagine specific routes, anchorages and the sensory experience of being underway.
In the Boating Issues, News and Analysis category, Soundings contributor Kim Kavin earned 2nd place for “The Chaos is Real,” a report on safety concerns and frightening incidents that occurred as many new boaters came to the water during the pandemic. That piece examined how a sudden influx of inexperienced operators created hazardous situations and underscored the need for better outreach, education and seamanship training.
“Congratulations to my colleagues at Soundings for their BWI awards,” said Soundings editor Jeanne Craig. “I’m proud and fortunate to collaborate with these talented professionals on a regular basis. Their work is representative of some of the best storytelling in marine journalism today. Pim, Wendy, Dieter, Kim and our staff make the process of reporting, writing, photography and design look easy, but as any editor knows, the work that seems effortless typically requires the most time, training, study and commitment. This group of people deserves the recognition from BWI because their efforts go a long way toward drawing more people into the sport of boating and keeping them engaged.”
These awards highlight excellence across boat-related reporting—narrative features, profiles of notable mariners and craftspeople, travel pieces that chart waterways and destinations, and photography that captures the emotional and aesthetic side of time on the water. For publications like Soundings and the AIM Marine Group, recognition from peers at BWI reinforces editorial standards and supports ongoing efforts to produce journalism that informs, inspires and improves public understanding of boating culture.
Click here for a complete list of winners.