"You can call me Captain from now on"

Ms. Kool was nothing if not pragmatic. On one widely reported occasion, the Jean K collided with another ship in a dense fog and sent her hurtling overboard, where she risked being sucked under by the ship’s propeller. A piece of timber floated by and she grabbed it, as the ship’s passengers hurled life preservers down at her.

“I’m already floating,” Ms. Kool hollered up at them. “Stop throwing useless stuff at me and send a boat!”