Until the 1970s, women on board fishing boats were virtually unheard of. Superstitions held that women brought bad luck, caused unrest among the crew, and were generally not capable of working the long days on board. A handful of young Gig Harbor women changed all that. Some worked their fathers’ boats, others worked alongside their husbands. Still others broke the mold and ran their own boats. The Shenandoah at the Harbor History Museum was one boat where women defied superstition and worked on board, but it wasn’t always easy. Join us for a lively discussion with three Gig Harbor women fishers who were the ground breakers of their time. Bunky Janovich crewed on board the Shenandoah. Laurie Dahl Isacson worked as cook and crew on the Pacific Maid, and Debbi Ross worked on both a purse seiner and a halibut long liner. Their stories of life on board will surprise and amaze!
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