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Emily Loose and other Virginia Crew
Emily Loose, one of the eleven crew on the two-masted, gaff-rigged pilot schooner, Virginia. It's a replica of a 1917 boat. Schooners of this sort were built for speed and would lead incoming ships upstream to local ports. These days it serves as an ambassador for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Emily Loose says she likes the job, though she notes that the quarters are tight.Imagine a bedroom with 7 other people in it. And a bunk that's 6 x 2 x 2. And that not only for you, but any gear you have has to fit in that space. You have to think, she says, about what you really need on board. Given all the wood on board, her job and that of the crew involves a lot of maintenance. Another part of the job is answering questions from the public. One question/ comment she would prefer to never hear again is one that dwells on women being on boats. Yes, she says, she does the same jobs as the men on the crew. And on the Virginia, half of the crew are women. The highlight of the job she says, it slipping loose of the docks, and going out to sea where they can raise the sails and cut off the motor and just sail.
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