The superstition regarding the traditional belief among men that it was not advisable to have women involved in the marine service or trade-in Anguilla, is over. This was initially demonstrated when some young women took the wheel of one or two of the island’s sleek racing boats.
Now the prowess of Anguillian women has taken another turn. One of them, Ms Danitza “Delisa” Mussington, of Blowing Point, has become Anguilla’s first Female Sea Captain. She is navigating the waters between Anguilla and St. Martin /St. Maarten and is more than capable to command passenger boats well beyond that trip.
Trained at the Anguilla Community College, and by some of her male counterparts who have long dominated the island’s marine service, Miss Mussington comes from a well-known family of seafarers. Among those who trained her were Captain Hubert Gumbs and Mr Eversley Brown. She was celebrated at an official function in her honour at Flavours Restaurant on Thursday evening, August 22.
There she was presented with a well-deserved award by FLOW Anguilla and the Blowing Point Community Group, two of the organisations involved in her sponsorship. The other sponsors were the Ministry of Communications and Marine Services (represented by Minister, Mr Curtis Richardson, and Permanent Secretary, Mr Karim Hodge) and the Anguilla Air and Sea Ports Authority (represented by Mr Marcel Fahie, Chairman).
Mr Richardson, the Elected Representative for Road South, which includes Blowing Point, commended Ms Mussington on her accomplishment and said his Ministry took pride in being one of her proud sponsors.
The Keynote Speaker was Mr David Carty, a keen researcher in Anguilla’s maritime history and a master storyteller of many of the island’s seamanship tales. He spoke of some of the superstitions held by a number of long-gone seafarers – and some of the events that occurred at sea as though they gave credence to those beliefs of the day.
Mr Carty was delighted that with Ms Mussington becoming Anguilla’s first female Sea Captain – that she not only put such superstitions to rest but that she had come to a point where other young women could be empowered to emulate her.
Ms Mussington obtained certification at the Anguilla Community College in August 2018, becoming the youngest female candidate to complete this training to date.
“I stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before me,” she acknowledged. “My inspiration was birthed from a family of seafarers. My grandfather, Mr James Alpheus Mussington, set the standard. He was one of the very first ferry operators and captained his own boat. That tradition was passed on to the next generation – namely: Uncle Danny and subsequently my father, Captain Desmond Mussington, who continues to perfect his trade.”
After naming the other family members who assisted her in realising her passion for boats and the ocean, she went on: “I am a member of the crew of De Wizard and Kedro’s Pride with the hope that one day I will captain both of them.
“There is so much happening in my world that it would be impossible for me [to succeed] without some very important persons who always motivated me. To be honest, it has been a task juggling work, studying, doing practicals, pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management at the Anguilla Community College and being an entrepreneur. In addition, I recently completed my Ship Security Officer’s training programme. That’s yet another certification under my belt.”
The speakers at the function also included Ms. Mussington’s grandmother, Mrs. Eileen Mussington, other family members; Mrs. Evalie Bradley, Ministerial Assistant in the Ministry of Home Affairs; Mr Marcel Fahie; and Mr. Haydn Hughes of the Dungeon Gym who encouraged Delisa to have her own business, Anchored Fitness, another of her ambitious achievements.
Among the large gathering were all the male sea captains at Blowing Point and other parts of the island. The Acting Premier, Mrs Cora Richardson-Hodge; Deputy Governor, Mr. Perin Bradley; and the Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Cardigan Connor, were also in attendance.
If Ms Mussington achieves any more successes they are likely to result from the prayers on her behalf by Bishop Samuel Daniels of the Church of God of Prophecy, her belief in God and by her own ambitious initiatives.
