By Goca Gız
Caroline Mayhew, Mary Patten, Knot as a unit of speed and log chain, Orhaniye Kızkumu, Yacht Charter
In my third post, I realized that I can't say "welcome" to newcomers every month. But still, welcome! Whether it's on my YouTube channel, website, or casual chit-chat... What matters most to me on every platform is mutual knowledge sharing and igniting curiosity. That's why every new subscription notification brings a smile to my face. So, once again, welcome back, glad you're here.
In the March newsletter, with it being "International Women's Day" on the 8th, you might expect me to go on a feminist tangent, sitting here and praising women, boasting about how I became a female captain, a female entrepreneur, and so on. But thinking that way would disappoint me. However, I'd like to touch upon a couple of points from my perspective.
Yin & Yang
As you also know, March 8th isn't a day created to buy flowers for women and feed capitalism. Our general concept is gender justice and equality.
One day, while maneuvering into a dock in Göcek, waiting for the crew to take the ropes, someone warned the people on the dock, "Watch out, here comes a female captain!" That incident got me thinking about this issue. There's a silver lining in every cloud, they say, and I fixated on the idea that it shouldn't be this way.
Reminding us that exceptions should disrupt the norm, Caroline and Mary:
Before the 1900s, the only way for a woman to be on a boat was to be the captain's wife or daughter. But don't get too excited, if she was lucky (and if her husband allowed it), she could be a stewardess and take care of paperwork and such. There was no chance for her to handle ropes or throw two tackles. Put on your gown, sit down, and behave like a lady.
I'll tell you about a woman who was born as a reaction to this patriarchal perspective. Caroline Mayhew, sailed the seas with her captain husband in the 1800s. By the way, being the third woman in history to be on a ship, imagine how utopian that situation must have seemed.
In 1846, they set sail from Martha's Vineyard island in the Atlantic on the whaling ship Powhatan. An outbreak of smallpox occurred on the ship, and when her husband William fell ill, she took over as captain in his place. With her medical knowledge, she cared for the entire crew and saved their lives.
Another story is about Mary Patten;
In July 1856, Neptune's Car sets sail from New York to San Francisco. Captain Joshua Patten, who is nineteen years old, is Mary's husband, who is also pregnant.
While the ship is rounding Cape Horn, Captain Patten falls ill. When the second mate who should take command is unable to navigate, Mary takes over the command. She spends fifty days taking care of her husband and navigating without even changing her clothes. In November 1856, she safely delivers the ship to San Francisco and even gives birth.
Of course, these stories and the fact that women couldn't be on ships are two sides of the same coin. What I want to emphasize is that we need to find a balance. Currently, only 2% of people working in the maritime industry are women. Is this a choice or an imposition? I leave the answer to you.
In the 17th century, the answer to the question "How fast are we moving?" was: "With a Log chain."
Last month, I mentioned that I would explain the origin of the nautical speed unit "knot" to you. Keeping my word, here's the genesis of "knot":
1 knot = 1 nautical mile = 1.852 kilometers
In the 17th century, sailors used a device called a "chip log," also known as a "log line" or "parakete," to measure a ship's speed. The logic behind it was very simple and clever:
At regular intervals, they would attach a knotted rope to a wooden board. Then, they would lower this board into the water behind the ship, allowing it to float freely for a certain period (usually measured with an hourglass). When the time was up, they would count the number of knots between the ship and the wooden board to determine how many knots the ship was traveling.
I'm sure a woman invented this method, but I can't prove it.
ANYWAY, reflecting on these hardships, I'm reminded of the story of a princess who fell victim to forbidden love. I'll conclude this newsletter with the beauty of the Hisarönü Gulf and the legend of the not-so-beautiful Orhaniye Cove.
Orhaniye: Kızkumu
Legend has it that a massive sandbank, 600 meters long and 1-2 meters deep, was formed like this:
The daughter of King Bybassios fell in love with a fisherman and would sneak down to the shore every night with a lantern in her hand. When the fisherman saw the light of the lantern, he would row his boat from the opposite shore to meet her.
But as in every fairy tale, the king found out and sent his soldiers after them. The soldiers caught the girl, took her lantern, and signaled to trap the fisherman. As the fisherman approached, the girl escaped from the soldiers and started running towards the sea. With each step, the land turned into sand, but as the soldiers tried to shoot the fisherman, they accidentally shot the girl.
The fisherman took the girl onto his boat, and they were never seen again. According to the legend, the redness of the sands comes from the blood of the princess.
Also, there is a belief that wishes made while walking along this path will come true. But beware, don't believe it and walk when it's below 50 degrees.
We'll take you around by boat :)
If you want to rent a boat from Goca Gız, just fill out the pre-booking form.
For those who are unsure about which boat to rent, next month I'll start explaining different types of boats.
I hope you've enjoyed reading this newsletter so far and that you'll share it with your friends and loved ones. Who knows, maybe we'll even start a magazine together from here. See you next month!