SHIPPING OUT: a sixty-minute video documentary targeted to public television stations, schools, and libraries. Our program tells the little-known history of women and seafaring in America. Meet women who hold jobs in commercial shipping, working on container ships, bulk cargo carriers and tankers, as well as coastal tugs, barges, and ferry boats, all on America’s waterways.

Meet marine engineers, harbor and bar pilots, tug boat captains, mates, and able bodied ‘seamen’ –along with the pioneers of women seafarers – the stewards.

Women were ‘allowed’ into maritime academies beginning in 1974. The women who graduated were the first officers to sail on merchant ships in America. Often they were unwelcomed by their male colleagues and sometimes they were harassed.. But they perservered.

Although it is not well known, there have been women on ships for hundreds of years - most often they were disguised as men – or they were pirates – or they were hard working wives of sea captains. SHIPPING OUT looks at the history of women and the sea and how traditional attitudes influenced women’s work.

SHIPPING OUT is available on DVD for $24.95.
A companion booklet, “A Teacher’s Guide to Shipping Out” is also offered.

TO ORDER: WFSoundings@aol.com