Fair seafarer

by Allen, Nancy

In this highly personal, no-holds-barred account of life aboard a modern cargo vessel, the author takes us through the stormy North Pacific, to the remote Aleutian Islands, and on to the teeming harbors of East Asia and the South China Sea. Her experiences, told in personal-journal style, give an intimate, insider's picture of what life is like for the men and women who ply the trade routes of the world. The author examines the rising role of women crew members on American cargo ships. She talks with them of the special opportunities they are enjoying and the obstacles they are encountering, including the sexual harassment that they have experienced, similar to that afflicting the military services and some companies ashore. The author also makes informed connections between the bygone days of the clipper ships and the problems of their ultra-modern Merchant Marine descendants in today's competitive global market.