First Mate Katie Rumbold is not fazed by working in a man's world, and has just achieved her second pilotage in six months.
The 23-year-old from East Cowes only passed her Portsmouth Pilotage back in September and now she has passed her Southampton Pilotage last month, an achievement that allows her to take sole charge of a navigational watch on board Wightlink's car ferries.
She said: 'It can be quite nerve-racking but it feels so natural.
'I do have to be strong- minded and quite thick- skinned, being a woman, but I think the benefits are that women can stand back and look at the bigger picture and can do more than one thing at a time.'
The only female First Mate, Katie started as one of the cadets recruited by the ferry operator in its training scheme for school leavers, and has been working her way up the ranks ever since.
She said: 'Someone from the Merchant Navy came in to speak to my head of sixth form about working on the ferries, so I thought I'd give it a go.'
Katy hopes that being a woman will not make any difference to her important role as captain's deputy on the ship. She said: 'I don't go on board and say, "I am a woman". I don't think it should be a big deal.'
Now she moves forward to take the Command Endorsement. Katie's ambition is to become a permanent master and have her own crew.
She said: 'I am intending to take the Command Endorsement, which involves two oral examinations, by the end of the year and, if I am successful, this will qualify me to become a Higher Grade Master.'
But Katy says it is the passion and love of her job that drives her.
She added: 'Every day is different, and I get to travel all over the world. I have been to Fiji, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. I definitely want to stay close to the sea, and this is my future.'