Maritime Photography Competition

The Greater Yarmouth Tourist Authority, organisers of the Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival, launched a photography competition for the 2011 Maritime Festival to celebrate the area's current maritime connections.

Entries were judged by Gareth Hacon, a local photographer who has spent many hours watching the waves, the seafront, Scroby Sands and ships sailing by looking for inspiration.

Water is an important part of daily life in Norfolk and particularly in Great Yarmouth where the busy river port sees ships steering in, mooring up and unloading, and boats sailing through from the Broads all the time. Entrants were asked how they could best take a picture to represent Great Yarmouth's current maritime role or lifestyle.

Thrilled to be selected as the overall winner and claim the terrific prizes of a sailing for two on the Dutch tall ship Oosterschelde and dinner for two at The Imperial Hotel was Claire Avie, whose photograph is displayed on this page.

The winning entry and runners up entries were displayed at this year's Maritime Festival on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September. The winning entry will also be printed in The Mercury and on the Great Yarmouth Mercury website.