It was a historical trip for a tugboat company operating in B.C.
SAMM Towage said two woman made up the company’s first ever all-female tugboat crew on a trip from Prince Rupert to Stewart.
Captain Hailey McIntyre and her deckhand Ocean Rutherford travelled on a 12-hour voyage.
“It was amazing. It felt right. It had been a long time coming,” McIntyre said.
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“It was a very proud trip. It was so much fun.”
Upon arrival the women assisted in docking and undocking a ship.
Making the trip even more special, McIntyre and Rutherford have known each other since elementary school, and it was McIntyre’s first run as captain.
“For us, it’s a big deal because it means that the industry is becoming more open to a diverse population,” she said.
“So, if you do have a passion for the water, and the community you want to service, there is a space for you on the water no matter who you are.”
SAMM Towage Canada’s director of operations, Brook Walker, said the company is very proud to celebrate the voyage.
“This is a pretty unique occurrence. We are very fortunate that the marine professionals that did this trip chose to work and grow with (the company),” he told Global News.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
