North America's 1st female sea captain, N.B. native Molly Kool, dies

New Brunswick native Molly Kool, North America's first licensed female sea captain, has died at age 93.

Kool, who was born in the village of Alma in 1916, died Thursday at her home in Bangor, Maine.

She earned her master mariner's certificate from the Merchant Marine Institute in Yarmouth, N.S., in 1939.

That accomplishment made Kool, whose father was a Dutch sea captain, the first licensed female sea captain in North America and second woman to do that job in the world.

Alma Mayor Hilyard Rossiter, who knew Kool, said she led an impressive life.

"I was somewhat in awe having known what she had done, becoming the first female sea captain in North America," said Rossiter.

"At that time, you often think, 'How did she handle the men and the work she was doing … working off scows here and hauling lumber out of Alma.'"

Kool spent five years as a sea captain before moving to Maine and getting married.