Hoping that good summer weather would inspire locals to explore the Bay, the Alliance held its first annual ALLIANCE BEST OF THE BAY PHOTO CONTEST. The contest was available to all members of the Alliance and we enjoyed photos from contestants of all ages! Kate Naughten’s grand prize submission to the 2013 Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Member Photo Contest. The allure of a bay sunset got these folks exploring the beach at Annapolis Roads at the mouth of the Severn River this past summer.The photo entries did bring unique views of the Bay to life! The Alliance has been a quiet leader in Bay restoration for over 40 years and the collection of photos that were entered will help us to give a voice and a face to our important restoration work. Madelyn Phillips’ second place winning submission to the 2013 Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Member Photo Contest. Peluso Open Water race, October 2012Contest winners were judged on how well their photos conveyed the beauty of the Bay, its rivers, and watershed, as well as, the importance of restoration in urban, suburban or rural scenes. We received submissions that conveyed a broad range of important messages from the Bay’s beauty, to its power to the urgency for restoration and protection.

The photos also illustrated the goals of the Alliance and, consequently, we have published a 2014 Alliance calendar that contains, in part, photos from the contest. If you would like to receive a calendar, become a member today and request a 2014 ALLIANCE CALENDAR at: laura@allianceforthebay.org.

Contest winners were as follows: Matt Kropp’s third place winning submission to the 2013 Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Member Photo Contest. Early June squall that fortunately stayed horizonal

[one_half ] Melissa LaCroce’s Engaging Local Communities Category winning submission to the 2013 Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Member Photo Contest. Students enjoying an educational sail aboard a skipjack, the state boat of Maryland, on the Patapsco River.[one_half ] Lorri Wilson’s Connecting People Category winning submission to the 2013 Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Member Photo Contest. Magic log canoe sailing the Chesapeake Bay waters since 1894, in the beginning as an oyster harvester and today as an extreme sailing competition only offered on the Chesapeake Bay.[one_half ] Susanna Raffenot’s Healing the Land Category winning submission to the 2013 Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Member Photo Contest. Tree roots stretch across the water, meeting the line of an island and crossed by a cloud.Please plan ahead to participate in next year’s ALLIANCE BEST OF THE BAY PHOTO CONTEST!