If you’ve spent enough time around boats, you know that you meet some of the nicest people on the water. The Soundings staff was reminded of that when working on the shoot for the feature Dog Days of Summer.
Cate Brown was assigned to do the photography for the piece, which offers tips on how to acclimate young pups to the cruising life. Art Director Bri Smith discovered the “talent” for the shoot—two Brittany Spaniels, agile and attentive sisters who are just a year old. Brown offered to source a boat on which to pose the pups. She found enthusiastic volunteers in Sarah and Paul Browne.
The couple own a Nordic Tugs 37 that they keep in Wickford, Rhode Island. Cate asked if they’d welcome two tail-wagging guests on board. The Browne’s, who are dog lovers and have yellow labs, said yes and graciously devoted a long morning to the project, hosting the spaniels as well as our creative team.
“It was a lot of fun,” says Sarah. “We were really impressed by Cate, who donned a wet suit and flippers and got into the cold, spring water to take photos.” One of those photos is on the cover of this issue.
Among the nicest people I’ve met on the water is Steve Knauth. A contributor to Soundings for almost three decades, Steve has been the voice behind four of our title’s most popular departments: “Just Yesterday,” “Seascapes,” “Used Boats” and “Classics.” Before he went into the publishing business, Steve was working on boats at Dauntless Shipyard in Essex, Connecticut. That’s where he met Bill Sisson, who was the editor of Soundings at the time. Bill saw in Steve a person with a real passion for boats and a deep interest in stories about the cruising lifestyle. So, he encouraged Steve to consider a new career path and take a job with the magazine. Steve did, and as a result, the readers of Soundings have had the privilege of enjoying his work month after month.
Steve says he is going into semiretirement, with plans to travel more frequently and spend more afternoons out on the water in his own boat. And he intends to keep writing, which is good news for all of us who have enjoyed his storytelling. It’s been an honor for me to have worked with Steve for the three years I’ve been at Soundings. I wish him much happiness in the years ahead, with smooth seas and many serene sunsets.
Jeanne Craig
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This article was originally published in the August 2021 issue.
