No Navy baby blues (Weekend Argus, 14 January 1995)

Abstract

In January 1995, the Weekend Argus profiled Seaman Mara Nadarajan of Durban, one of 12 women aboard the Navy icebreaker SAS Outeniqua on its voyage to Antarctica. It was her first long sea journey, leaving behind her husband, also a Navy radar operator, and their six-month-old daughter. The article highlights the couple’s role reversal, with Mara at sea while her husband stays home, as well as the Navy’s growing gender equality, with women serving alongside men in Antarctic operations. This material is part of a collection contributed by Mustakim Gierdien, that he used for writing his book “ From district Six to Antarctica”, published September 2025 by ALSA.