Although as of 2003, only 1 to 2% of the world's seafarers were female, the Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) reports a 40% increase in membership in the past two years, which may reflect a general increase in the number of women taking to the water. There are no global figures for the number of women ship commanders or officers, but people familiar with the industry say the number is increasing.

Not surprisingly, women are often discouraged from following this path. Capt. Sherri Hickman is a Houston ship channel pilot who used to work as an officer on ships with U.S. government cargo. She recalls returning to her Pennsylvania high school for career day, where she gave a talk about her work. Her lecture was labeled "Men Only" on the program. "Even today, women don't even realize the field is there," she said. "They normally feel like: 'I didn't know they let women do that.'"

"In the old times, men thought that this job cannot be done by a woman. Before, they believed a woman on board brings bad luck," adds Bianca Froemming, a German ship commander. "it is harder for a woman. You have to show more on board, you always have to work harder than a man to become higher in rank." Froemming is one of only five German female commanders on merchant vessels, out of a total of 1,400. This may seem like a tiny percentage—it is a tiny percentage—but the fact that Froemming has managed to rise this high in the ranks is laudable.

Women are also trying their hands at another male dominated activity: Hunting. The overall number of hunters in America has fallen in the past few years, but the number of women picking up the weapons has only increased, reports Northwest Public Radio. The Idaho Fish and Game Department has welcomed the influx of women interested in game hunting by holding women-only "new hunter" workshops.

Women of all ages have signed up for these classes. There are hunters from different skill levels as well: Jean Spencer reports that this is "going to be my first year" hunting elk, while Colleen Trese says she's been hunting for 12 years, but only smaller animals. This will be her elk season as well. Trese says she first got into hunting from her work, "being a wildlife biologist. My family doesn't hunt, but I've hunted with people that I've worked for. That's kind of how I've been learning." Others, like Spencer, were roped into the sport by their husbands or brothers. Class instructor Julie McKarley has been hunting all her life. For her, hunting is a family activity. "I got mine. My mom got hers and my dad got his, all in one day," she says of last season. "And it made for this great family outing. My mom has lots of pictures of it and she says that's one of her best memories of going out on this elk hunt and camping out with us and having a great time."

Hunting and shooting instructor Jeanie Elias says she also seen more women in her classes. She claims women are often better hunters than men because they focus less on the trophy and more on the food. "They don't have this idea of ‘I got to have this perfect rack on my wall,'" she says. "When I go hunting, I'm not looking for the perfect rack on a deer. I'm looking for meat."

Women Rise In Seafaring Ranks [AP]
Women Play A Growing Role In Hunting [NWPR]

Laura has been placed in the dual custody of Dutch child care officials and her parents, who are divorced, for the next two months while an independent child psychologist evaluates her case, the Associated Press reports. She can continue to live with her father but would need state approval to leave on a planned two-year trip in her 26-foot boat. Both parents have consented to the trip.

Laura wants to challenge the record set by 17-year-old British teenager Mike Perham who became the youngest person to sail around the world after completing a nine-month journey yesterday. Dutch officials argue that Laura is too young to weigh the dangers of the trip and are concerned because Laura has proposed missing two years of school and tutoring herself while alone on the boat. Laura's father, Dick Dekker, who is an experienced sailor, challenged their objections saying, "Where do you learn more, on a two-year trip or at high school?''

No one disputes that Laura is an excellent sailor. She was born on a boat in New Zealand while her parents were sailing around the world and spent the first four years of her life living on a yacht. Earlier this year, she was picked up by police in Britain after she sailed to the country from the Netherlands alone, according to The Guardian. Child care officials took her in for a night after her father refused their request that he come pick her up because he said she could sail home herself. The next day he agreed to fly to Britain and sail back with her.

A lawyer for Laura's father tells the Times of London that he's happy with the verdict:

"I was expecting this. It was a very difficult decision for the court. If they had said yes straight away every young person could look at it and say 'I don't want to go to school, I will copy Laura and go sailing for two years'," he said. "On the other hand, if they had said no straight away what would that mean for sports in Holland? This is a good compromise; they are saying we have to look at every individual case."

Her father says he may move to New Zealand if the Dutch stop Laura's trip. The court has scheduled a second hearing for October 26 on whether to extend state custody. By then she will be 14.

Dutch Put 13-Year-Old Sailor Under State Care [Associated Press]
Girl, 13, Put Into Care For Wanting To Sail Solo Around The World [The Guardian]
Court Bans Teen Sailor Laura Dekker From Record-Breaking Voyage [Time of London]

[Utrecht, Netherlands; August 24. Image via Getty]

Thirteen-year-old Laura Dekker sits in the court house of Utrecht on August 24, 2009. Dutch child protection agents urged the court today to stop Laura Dekker from pursuing her dream of becoming the youngest person ever to sail around the world solo. Born on a yacht off the New Zealand coast during a seven-year world trip by her parents, according to Dutch press, Laura plans to become the youngest ever sailor to navigate around the world in her 8.3-metre-long Hurley 800 named Guppy, financed by sponsors. AFP PHOTO / ANP VALERIE KUYPERS = netherlands out - belgium out (Photo credit should read VALERIE KUYPERS/AFP/Getty Images)

QINGDAO, CHINA - AUGUST 18: Christina Bassadone (L) and Saskia Clark (R) of Great Britain compete in the Women's 470 class medal race held at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center during day 10 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 18, 2008 in Qingdao, China. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

QINGDAO, CHINA - AUGUST 12: Nikola Girke of Canada competes in the Women's RS:X class race held at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center during day 4 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 12, 2008 in Qingdao, China. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Read more coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games.