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Martel Fursdon: A women's seascape

Captain
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom

Equity & Transparency

Carly Fields, Journalist

Carly Fields is an award-winning specialist maritime journalist and editor. For over 20 years, she has been reporting on wide issues in the shipping industry, from the risks of isolation among seafarers and piracy off Somalia to the sector’s route to decarbonisation and future shipping tech.

Introduction

This online exhibition recounts the career of Martel Fursdon, as part of the wider SHE_SEES component of the Rewriting Women into Maritime History exhibition. SHE SEES celebrates women’s contributions to the maritime industry through capturing the stories of contemporary female professionals in the UK. Through captivating interviews and stunning photographs, we delve into their stories, bridging the maritime past, present, and the future.

A Women's Seascape

Martel Fursdon's voyage into the maritime realm defied the norms and took a path less travelled. With dreams of studying marine biology beckoning her to a university in Scarborough, fate intervened with a serendipitous encounter. At the tender age of 18, Martel found herself stepping aboard the Oldenburg ferry as a galley girl, shuttling passengers and cargo across the waters between North Devon and Lundy. Little did she suspect that this fleeting opportunity would unfurl into an extraordinary odyssey of the sea.

Click on each image to view the exhibition.