Ever since we of Nautical Northwest announced our writing and photography contest, I as editor have received a consistent buzz of readers expressing interest. To me, it seems like we’ve touched on something here in the regional zeitgeist, namely a proper outlet and platform for in-depth and high-level aquatic-facing writing and photography. Of course, this should be of no surprise—there is an endless and ever-growing body of Cascadians going to sea and experiencing the incredible.
We have extended the timeline and adjusted the process somewhat to give our small team some more leeway, potential contestants the entire cruising season to pursue their work, and increase the impact of the contest. These are all good things and thanks to all interested readers out there for rolling with us as we dial in this inaugural effort.
The official deadline for all submissions is now Friday, November 6 by midnight. The winners will be announced during the Seattle Boat Show (February 5 -13), possibly at a dedicate awards ceremony. First prizes will be published in the second issue of 2027, the March/April volume (not the last issue of this year as previously announced).
As a reminder, here are the contest details:
First prizes shall receive $500. Second, third, and any honorable mentions will be proudly listed within the March/April 2027 issue as well with prizes detailed on our website’s contest page.
The categories for both the writing and photography contests are simple: boats, people, and places. All submissions must be about subjects within the greater Pacific Northwest that we are defining as Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia, and SE/Southcentral Alaska. Written stories must be between 2,000 and 3,000 words (magazine feature length).
The work will be blind-judged by a select panel of pros.
Submissions are open on our website, which also serves as the go-to source for more details. For now, get out there this summer and get inspired.
For organization or business leaders out there, we’re open to sponsorship partnerships if you’d like to get involved. Being a patron of the marine arts so to speak is a great look for any brand and we’ll be proud to trumpet your contributions from the rooftops. Reach out if interested and we can talk about the details.
