Third Place in the Boating Writers International Writing Contest!

Errngh, errngh!  We interrupt your regularly-scheduled Bahamian program for this important announcement.  Peter Nielsen with SAIL Magazine submitted an article of mine to the 2017 Boating Writers International Writing Contest and I won third place in the “Boating Adventures” category.  Thank you Peter!  Sitting in the cockpit one morning on Plaintiff’s Rest in Marsh Harbour, harvesting a sliver of wifi, and I never dreamed the email I would find in my box.  Peter Neilsen saying: “You won!”  Won what?  I thought.  Unbeknownst to me, Peter had submitted one of my articles from 2017 in for the contest and I took third place!  I’ll take third place any day!  I’ll take any place any day!  I didn’t even know anything about BWI or the contest but I was so excited, when I Googled it, to see two of my favorite sailing/world-traveling idols grace the cover of the webpage.  Little ole’ Annie Dike up there with the likes of people I have looked up to since I started sailing and writing: Tasha Hacker and John Kretschmer.  WHOA.  More info about the contest and my prize-winning article below!!  Thank you, Peter Nielsen, for believing and betting on me.  I couldn’t be more humbled and proud!!

http://www.bwi.org/contest/

Want to know which article of mine placed?  Feel free to take a blind guess in a comment now and see if you get it!  One hint … it had a bit of a racy title.  Those are always attention-grabbing and, apparently now, contest-winning!

Announcement of my contest placement in the “Boating Adventures” category: http://www.bwi.org/best-boating-journalism-recognized-for-25th-year/

Link to view my article on the BWI website: http://www.bwi.org/bwicontest/files/3005-firsttime2.pdf

I remember when that article first came out in stores!  I was so excited!

Want to be the judge?  Feel free to read my article and let me know your opinion of how my story performed according to these BWI criteria:

• How complex is the story? Does the author use solid knowledge of the subject or information from multiple sources to craft a balanced and informative piece?
• Is the lead effective? Does the introduction draw the reader into the story?
• Does the story flow well? Good transitions?  Good structure?
• Is it well researched? Accurate (or has the writer relied on press releases)?
• Is there a distinctive personality? Or voice?
• Effective use of language, metaphor, imagery, sentence structure?
• Beyond the basics of reporting the story, is there originality? A fresh approach?
• Is the story fair?
• How well does the story accomplish its intended mission? Does it entertain? Educate? Inspire?
• Finally, how well did the judge like it personally?

Seeing this article again, and the photos included in the layout brought back about a thousand memories.  Crossing the Atlantic on a 46-foot catamaran … what an adventure.  And timely to reflect on that just as Phillip and I recently made our way back across a portion of the Atlantic, crossing the Gulf Stream from the Bahamas back to Florida.  We were just texting Captain Yannick via the Delorme while we were out there, telling him it reminded us of the many, many memories we made with him aboard his boat, Andanza, the first time we traveled in those blue waters.  Below are all of the photos I submitted to Peter Neilsen for the article.  What an incredibly challenging, rewarding, and unforgettable adventure!  And now, a monument in the BWI archives!  Go little French Story go!