What is Maritime Mosaics?
Welcome to Maritime Mosaics, a Substack where I, Annie Means, delve into the intersections of sea and society, gender and the marine world, and any other nautical niche that sparks my curiosity.
Like anything worthwhile in life, the maritime sector is vast and full of opportunities for exploration and discovery. In my writing, I aim to highlight the complex connections and overlapping systems of our blue planet.
This publication grew out of my 2023-2024 Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, during which I spent a year traveling the globe, studying and writing about women’s leadership in the blue economy. From oyster farmers to tall ship sailors to sustainable boatbuilders, I had the privilege of meeting and living among so many inspiring communities.
I learned a lot on that voyage, namely that I want to keep writing and engaging with the passionate people who inhabit these essential stories. I hope you’ll come along for the journey.
This publication is completely free. I deeply believe these stories, projects, and voices should be out there and accessible to everyone. However, if you’d like to support my writing, you have the option to subscribe to a paid membership. As the woman tapping away at the keyboard, I can tell you that sometimes it really is that extra cup of coffee that helps me meet my deadlines—and your support makes all the difference.
About the Author
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest made it easy, if not impossible, to love the sea. I spent my childhood in and around cold water and onboard salt-caked ships. In 2008, my family and I voyaged some 2,000 nautical miles through the Inside Passage of Canada, cruising aboard a 40-foot motor yacht.
I hold this trip responsible for my enduring, and sometimes ill-advised, affair with the ocean. Since 2008, I’ve made my way back to the Inside Passage. In 2022, I teamed up with my all-female crew of friends to lay the groundwork for our documentary, Capi. Inspired by Muriel Wylie Blanchet—a mother, widow, sea captain, and author of The Curve of Time—we traveled north through the Inside Passage to recreate and capture the journey depicted in her book. Our project pays homage to this unique part of British Columbia and to Blanchet's work and legacy as a female captain.
You can find updates on that film project on the Capi movie Instagram or on this website.
I now work as an independent writer, photographer, and video editor. You can find my Muck Rack profile—a portfolio tool for published journalists—at this link.
