Women of the Seven Seas
2 min read
Women’s Day is a moment to reflect on the impact women have had in shaping our world, while recognizing how much work remains to achieve equality and justice. This year, we are extending the celebration across an entire week, centered on Women of the Seven Seas.
The ocean has always demanded resilience. It calls for courage in uncertainty, strength in solitude, and innovation when the way forward is unclear. The women highlighted here embody all three. In their own ways, they have transformed how we explore, protect, and connect with the natural world.
Kalā Baybayan-Tanaka carries ancestral knowledge across open seas. As one of the few female master navigators guiding long-distance voyages without instruments, she relies on stars, swells, wind, and wildlife. Through her leadership with the Polynesian Voyaging Society and aboard Hōkūleʻa, she proves that innovation can mean returning to tradition. Her work is resilience rooted in cultural memory.
Margo Oberg was one of the first professional female surfers in the world. In the 1960s and 70s, she claimed multiple world titles and helped define what women’s competitive surfing could look like. Her presence in the lineup shifted perceptions and opened doors for generations of women in the sport.
Cassandra Brooks bridges science and storytelling. Her work in Antarctic conservation contributed to protecting the Ross Sea, one of the most intact marine ecosystems on Earth. By translating complex research into narratives policymakers could act on, she demonstrated that data gains power when it reaches people.
Known as the Shark Lady, Eugenie Clark transformed how the world sees sharks. She founded a marine laboratory, discovered new fish species, and challenged fear with research. Her curiosity reshaped marine biology and expanded space for women in science.
Wangari Maathai connected environmental health with human rights. Through the Green Belt Movement, she mobilized communities to plant millions of trees, restoring ecosystems while empowering women. Her work reminds us that land and sea, justice and conservation, are deeply intertwined.
Ada Blackjack survived two years stranded on Wrangel Island in the Arctic after a failed expedition in the 1920s. With limited supplies and immense hardship, she endured isolation and extreme conditions to return home alive. Her story is one of survival, grit, and quiet strength in one of the harshest environments on Earth.
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