My whole life I have felt connected to the water. I feel that the ocean runs through my veins, and when I am not near the ocean, that something in my soul missing. In the book The Entangling Net by Leslie Leyland Fields, I saw that a lot of women share my same passion for the ocean. I saw that this passion transcends gender and pushes women beyond any assigned gender role. These women, like so many in the maritime world, use this passion to endure physical pain, harassment and humiliation, and life threatening situations. is my thesis clear?