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Humankind's relationship with the sea has changed radically over the last few centuries, and women's roles continue to change with it. Where once women darned sailors' socks and waited patiently for their men to return from the sea, today they are involved in a variety of maritime occupations. From all-women's crews in professional sailing competitions to the members of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, women are successfully contributing to modern maritime culture. No longer are the waterfronts, rivers, lakes, and oceans of the world exclusively a male domain.
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Catherine Via and Beatrice Taylor
Courtesy of Starke Jett
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Catherine Via and Beatrice Taylor Unloading
the Catch
Courtesy of Starke Jett |
Catherine Via and Beatrice Taylor:
A Family Tradition
Quicktime Movie: Women
Working on the Water
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Beatrice Taylor Working Her Crab Pots
Courtesy of Starke Jett
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Catherine Via and Beatrice Taylor own and operate
Payne's Crab House in Urbanna, Virginia. After helping out with the
business since childhood, they took over from their father Avery Payne
after his death in 1977. Beatrice uses a small boat to catch crabs
while Catherine sorts and packs them for shipment. Currently, Beatrice
is the only woman in Virginia with a crabbing license.
Beatrice and her sister Catherine use a
new method of drawing female crabs into their pots, seeding each with
a "Jimmy," or male crab, to attract the females. The sisters
nickname their crabs after icons of masculinity, such as "Burt"
for Burt Reynolds or "Tom" for Tom Selleck.
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BM3 Heidi Glendy at the Helm of
Her Small Boat
Gregg Vicik, photographer The
Mariners' Museum |
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Quicktime Movie: Heidi Glendy
Bosun's Mate Third Class Heidi Glendy is a coxswain aboard the
USCGC Legare. An Indianapolis native, Glendy joined the
Coast Guard three years ago. Now she drives small boats during
drug interdictions, works with migrants, and helps fishing vessels.
Other duties include training others and boat maintenance. Ultimately,
she would like to pilot one of the Coast Guard's most dangerous
boats, the self-righting cutter.
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Captain Allison Ross, Maryland
Pilot
Gregg Vicik, photographer The
Mariners' Museum |
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Quicktime
Movie: Working Across
Captain Ross chose a career at sea after being introduced to
the seafaring life by her father, who took her along on several
voyages while he worked on merchant ships. After graduating
from the New York Merchant Marine Academy, Ross worked on oil
tankers for ten years. Rising from third mate, she would go
on to receive her master's license. She became the first woman
accepted in the Maryland Pilots Association, and has been piloting
the Chesapeake Bay for ten years. |
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Jennifer Boykin, Director of Facilities,
Newport News Shipyard and Dry Dock Company
Gregg Vicik, photographer
The Mariners' Museum |
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Jennifer Boykin earned an
engineering degree from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at
Kings Point, New York. She joined Newport News Shipbuilding
in 1987, working in nuclear engineering until she transferred
to carrier construction. Her work as construction superintendent
on the USS Harry S. Truman and USS John C. Stennis
earned her the status of the first woman to oversee construction
of a carrier. She currently serves as the director of facilities
for Newport News Shipbuilding.
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Activity:
Interview a man or a woman
who works in a maritime field such as the U.S. Navy, U.S.
Coast Guard, the merchant marines, or sailing.
Make a list of questions to
ask the person. You might ask why this person wanted to
work in jobs that involve the sea. What are his or her
duties and training? After the interview, ask yourself
if this would be a career you would like to try. |
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