On the anniversary of the 60th year celebrating Windjammers Days and maritime history, we pay homage to our founder, Captain Marion Dash for her contribution as a female role model in our maritime community. It is her legacy that has inspired the Friends of Windjammer Days to celebrate the women who are working on the waterfront today who in turn inspire young girls and future maritime generations to come.

From the time she was 9 years old when she took sailing lessons at her grandfather's yacht club back in Erie, Pennsylvania, Tiffany Krihwan was hooked. Since then the size of the vessels and her responsibilities aboard have certainly grown. Most recently in Milwaukee on board the s/v Denis Sullivan, a replica of a great lakes cargo schooner with a LOA of 132 feet, Tiffany was a devoted Senior Captain and Director of Marine Operations for 12 years.

“I started sailing on the Sullivan in 2001 as a deckhand and continued to return to her over all of her years sailing,” said Captain Krihwan. “She has been a member of my family almost since her launch 20 years ago. I will truly miss the Sullivan and all of the great people that have sailed aboard her with me.”

Lucky for us, Krihwan's newest adventure has brought her east as she has been named Captain and Director for Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “We’re adding a proven leader to our ranks, and I’m looking forward to seeing Captain Krihwan at the helm of the Ernestina-Morrissey,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of the MMA. “We’re excited to have a captain of Tiffany’s sailing experience, leadership skills and passion for our program aboard.”

Captain Krihwan has held an impressive array of leadership positions including captain of the Boston-based schooner Roseway, chief mate of the Pride of Baltimore II, relief captain of the Los Angeles-based brigantine Exy Johnson and captain of the tall ship Unicorn.  In addition to that in 2019 she was awarded Tall Ships America Sail Trainer of the Year award for her significant contribution to sail training through the demonstration of leadership by means of empowerment and inspiration. 

Her passion for sailing and love of the sea make her a natural born teacher.  In an interview while working as captain aboard s/v Sullivan, she was asked what makes her happiest in her job. Her response, "When we have a bunch of teenagers who have never had an experience like that before, and toward the end of the voyage, I can see they get it, the whole experience – the beauty of sailing the ship, the team building, the camaraderie. And they get how precious our little environment is. It’s like a light bulb. It goes off at different times for everyone, but it definitely goes off."

Bravo Zulu, captain. We very much look forward to seeing - in the not too distant future - the Ernestina-Morrissey launching in Boothbay Harbor as she sails off to the waters of Cape Cod with Captain Tiff at her helm.