Her Story on the High Seas: Women in Maritime History

Photo of Ida Lewis, Photo from Wikipedia

March 5, 2026 – Pasay City, NCR, Philippines

Article by AIMS Museo Maritimo Team

For centuries, maritime life was widely regarded as a male sphere. Yet women have long shaped the history of the sea as explorers, lifesavers, naval personnel, scientists, and sailors. Their contributions have been vital to global trade, safety, and exploration as well. This March, we celebrate International Women's Month, honoring the achievements and contributions of women around the world as they have also played vital roles in maritime history.

One of the earliest documented pioneers was French botanist Jeanne Baret, who was the first woman known to circumnavigate the globe. Disguised as a man, she joined the 1766–1769 expedition led by Louis Antoine de Bougainville, collecting plant samples from various parts of the world (Dubey, 2025).

Photo of Jeanne Baret, Photo from Wikipedia

In the United States, Ida Lewis became nationally recognized for her bravery as a lighthouse keeper in Rhode Island, credited with saving numerous lives in perilous sea conditions during the late 19th century (Newport Historical Society and Roger Williams University, n.d.).

Modern offshore sailing also witnessed groundbreaking leadership when Tracy Edwards skippered the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989 (Schulman, 2019) proving women could compete at the highest levels of ocean racing.

In the Philippines, one of the world’s largest suppliers of seafarers, women are steadily expanding their presence across the maritime sector. Institutions such as the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies (AIMS) have opened pathways for female cadets, while women now serve as deck officers, marine engineers, naval personnel, and maritime educators.

References:

Dubey, A. (2025, August 1). Jeanne Baret. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jeanne-Baret

Newport Historical Society and Roger Williams University. (n.d.). Ida Lewis. Roger Williams University. https://rwu.shorthandstories.com/ida-lewis/index.html

Schulman, M. (2019, July 22). How Tracy Edwards and the Sailing Crew of Maiden Made Nautical History. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/29/how-tracy-edwards-and-the-sailing-crew-of-maiden-made-nautical-history