Teen with dreams as big as an ocean
SHE MAY be young, but she is determined: 13-year-old Simon’s Town High School pupil Gracia Pillay dreams of becoming a harbour pilot in the SA Navy.
Pillay, who trained as a sea cadet at the TS Woltemade cadet base in Marina da Gama, was introduced to the maritime industry by her mother, Lieutenant Gaylene Pillay, an administrative officer at the cadet base.
She found out about maritime careers and was hooked when she read about the harbour pilot position and its duties.
“I found that the main duties of a harbour pilot is to take the ships into and out of the harbour with the help of tug boats.
“This is exactly what I wanted to do when I grew up
“I was for several years the TS Woltemade mascot, as I was too young to officially join the unit, even though I completed the new entry training several times. Lieutenant-Commander Glenn von Zeil surprised me by arranging with a Cape Town harbour pilot (for me) to visit him at work and experience what he does,” said Pillay.
The excited youngster was put on duty aboard the tug Pinotage with Tug Master Tsego Mpye, and brought the vessel into harbour
“I loved the feeling and fresh smell of the ocean and can see myself as a harbour pilot,” she said.
Pillay encourages others to pursue a career in a field they love and said she could not wait to start doing what she loves. She said she was counting the days to get through high school, tertiary studies and eventually reaching the ocean.