Annette Listor has become the first female qualified skipper in the history of Coastguard Nelson, marking a milestone for the unit and for women in maritime leadership.
Annette, who has volunteered with Coastguard Nelson for eight years, says the achievement is about far more than personal success.
“I feel extremely proud not just for myself, it’s the whole thing about leadership on water and the willingness to learn,” she says. “It really doesn’t matter who you are it’s about being a team and building trust of your crew.”
She says the opportunities the role opens for other women are what excite her most.
Annette’s connection with the water began long before joining Coastguard. She spent much of her time growing up in Whangaparāoa on the water, listening to VHF radio calls and following rescues, which sparked a long-standing interest in Coastguard operations.
Now retired, Annette says she remains as busy as ever through her volunteer work, which also includes being president of Coastguard Nelson.
The Coastguard training pathway is highly structured, but flexible, she says, allowing volunteers to progress at their own pace.
“That’s the amazing thing about it if you’re willing to learn you can go a long way.”
The progression moves through deckhand, recruit, qualified senior crew and on to skipper or master level, with written and on-water assessments along the way.
She says being a good skipper, doesn’t just mean driving the boat, it’s about leadership, earning the trust of your team, and being able to think clearly in tricky situations.
“It’s about good seamanship and leadership on the water. At the end of the day, you are the skipper and people will look to you.”
She says leadership is about building up the crew.
“It’s not about one person it’s always about the crew.”
Some rescues stand out, she says, but the social and community connections are just as memorable, including events such as the unit’s 50th anniversary last year and the blessing of the fleet.
“We’re one big family.”
Coastguard Nelson life member and spokesperson Pete Kara says Annette’s qualification is a significant milestone for the unit.
“Any time we get a new skipper it’s really important for the unit. But the first female skipper, and coming just after our 50th anniversary, it’s a bit of a milestone.”
He says having more qualified skippers strengthens operational capacity.
“It also means sometimes when we have a large job on we can have two qualified skippers.”
Pete says the achievement also sends a strong message about leadership opportunities.
“I think it’s huge, anytime we have a wahine in charge of any operation, we see that now in big organisations that we’re breaking down those barriers.”
He says Annette’s journey reflects years of dedication and commitment.
“It’s a lot of hours as a volunteer to dedicate not only the practical training but a huge number of tutoring sessions and then exams.
“We’ve got an amazing team; she couldn’t have done it without the rest of the team behind her.”
He says Coastguard Nelson remains focused on its core mission.
“We make sure we are staying true to our purpose which is saving lives at sea.”
While Annette hadn’t yet received her certificate, after passing the exam last Saturday, she said it wouldn’t be replacing any of the family photos on the wall.
She says anyone interested in joining Coastguard shouldn’t be put off if they don’t want to be on the water.
“You don’t have to be on the water. But you do have to have a respect for the water and a keenness.”
Training sessions are held weekly, and applications are made through the Coastguard New Zealand website, which are then fed through to local units.
