From the Editor: Reporting From the Water and Working Remotely

The Soundings editorial team thrives on getting out where the stories happen. For Executive Editor Pim Van Hemmen, that meant heading to the Damariscotta River in Maine to report on a local oyster-harvesting operation before winter closed the waterfront. On a bitter December morning, Pim rode out in an open 24-foot boat into a raw northerly wind. The deck froze underfoot, a camera froze up, and the chill was relentless. Still, he stayed bundled and focused on observing the crew at work. The resulting piece captures the rhythm of the harvest: a company that planted 1.8 million seedlings and sent 750,000 oysters to market (see page 48). That assignment reinforced, for Pim and for us, a deep appreciation for the resilience and skill of Maine’s oystermen.

Not every story allows for on-site reporting, especially with the travel constraints we’ve faced during the Covid era. Even so, compelling journalism doesn’t always require being physically present. Senior Editor Gary Reich demonstrates that in his feature on the 100th anniversary of the Beetle Cat (page 42). Unable to visit the Massachusetts yard where these classic wooden dinghies are built, Gary relied on careful interviews and a well-tuned narrative voice to transport readers. His work evokes the scent of sawdust and varnish, and explains why the 12-foot Beetle Cat has become a cult classic among sailors and collectors.

Associate Editor Carly Sisson also shows how remote reporting can yield richly reported profiles. For her story on the 37-foot C108 from Aspen Power Catamarans (page 36), Carly connected with company founder Larry Graf by phone and email. Through those conversations she learned how Graf’s personal cruising experiences influenced the C108’s design, and how this particular model suits owners who want to undertake long-range adventures on the water. The piece blends technical detail with storytelling to give readers a clear sense of a design intended for exploration.

Strong writing is essential, but layout and visual design shape how a story is received. We are fortunate to have Art Director Bri Smith crafting the look of Soundings. Bri understands how photography, typography, and white space work together to create mood and emphasize narrative moments. Her love of boating gives her an intuitive sense of the sea’s textures and colors, which she translates into attractive, readable pages.

Bri’s talents extend beyond print. She helps produce our podcast series, “Talkin’ Boats With Soundings.” These episodes are another way to connect with the boating world: interviews, features, and conversations that you can take aboard on your next cruise. If you haven’t tried them, the podcasts are a convenient complement to the magazine—short-form audio that brings voices and stories to life for listeners on the water or at home.

That combination of on-water reporting, remote interviews, thoughtful design, and audio storytelling reflects our broader editorial approach. We aim to deliver detailed, accurate reporting about boats, boat design, and life on the water—whether that means standing on a frozen deck in Maine, talking by phone to a designer, or shaping visuals that let readers feel the scene. Each assignment requires different tools: fieldwork and cold-weather gear for oyster harvesting, phone calls and archival research for historical features, and collaboration between editors, writers, and designers to present the final story.

These efforts are all about connecting readers to places and people who live and work on the water. From small-boat builders and designers to commercial harvesters and cruising owners, the boating world is rich with craft, tradition, and innovation. Our goal is to tell those stories with clarity, respect, and an eye for detail—so you can learn from the experiences of others and see why these communities matter.

Thank you for reading. We hope these features bring the sights, sounds, and smells of the waterfront to your home, and perhaps inspire your next trip onto the water.

Jeanne Craig
[email protected]