n a bright blustery day in New York City, Loretta Choquet prepares for another day at sea. As assistant captain of the Samuel I. Newhouse, it is Choquet's job to navigate the ship, also known as the the Staten Island Ferry, from the Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan to the St. George Terminal on Staten Island.

After signing off with the deck hands and giving the gauges one last check, Choquet sounds the blow horn before taking the helm.

Choquet pilots the commuter ship during its 22-minute trip through the waters, known as the Anchorage Channel, six times each way during her eight-hour work day. Although the ferry is often overshadowed by New York's other transportation systems — the subway and bus lines — Choquet and her 13-member crew provide a crucial service for commuters who rely on the free ferry which operates 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Loretta Choquet joined the Staten Island Ferry fleet in 1988 after four years of service in the U.S. Coast Guard in Seattle, Wash. PHOTO: Grace Cha

It is at the southern tip of Manhattan where the waters of the East River and the Hudson River converge that Choquet makes her living. Treated to a spectacular view of the Statue of Liberty each time she crosses the channel to Staten Island, Choquet is always welcomed on her return trip by the massive skyscrapers of Manhattan. All the while, Choquet is within sight of the place where her career on the waters of New York began — the former U.S. Coast Guard's electronic and technician training school on Governor's Island.

Though the school and the Coast Guard are no longer stationed on the island, Choquet's training in marine engineering at the institution gave her a solid foundation that propelled her to stand at the helm of the Staten Island Ferry today.

After graduating from the military training school in 1981 with a specialization in marine engineering, Choquet went on to fulfill her four-year military commitment to the Coast Guard in Seattle, Wash. Choquet then came to New York in search of work when her tour of duty was complete. After trying a few jobs, Choquet took a position as a deck hand with the Staten Island Ferry in 1988 and has been with the fleet since.

The experience and knowledge she developed in the military led to her promotion to assistant captain in the Staten Island Ferry in 1992 — the highest rank ever achieved by a woman in the fleet.

Despite being the only female officer, Choquet says she has never had any problems working with the male dominated crew. She says she "certaintly wishes that there were a whole lot more" women.

"I feel very much a part of a team — one that is really solid," says Choquet.

The happy, positive attitude that she brings aboard the ferry each day has made her one of the most beloved members of the fleet.

"She's the nicest person you ever want to meet," says John Angelillo the ship's deck maid, who has worked with Choquet on the ferry for the last six years. "I've never seen her having a bad day. That's why she's the best assistant captain on the Staten Island Ferry."

aised in Massachusetts and Maine, Choquet says her fascination with the water started at any early age. As a child, she spent a great deal of time outdoors with her seven brothers and sisters in New England. She just loved to play or swim in the water.

This is still true today. In her free time, Choquet cannot go too long without being near the water. She often rents a kayak and goes for a paddle on the waters off her home on the north side of Staten Island. "I just really love being on the water," says Choquet.

The calm setting of her job allows Choquet to enjoy New York City from a point of view and perspective that most natives enjoy for a few minutes each day on their way home from work.

With so many hours spent on the water, Choquet is able to watch the sun set everyday and observe the changing seasons in a way that only others can imagine. Despite the hot and humid days of summer, which she says are the toughest days of the job, Choquet says she would not trade her job with anyone.

While life behind the wheel of the ferry is often uneventful and not problematic, the same is not always true on the passenger deck below.

Loretta Choquet checks with the deck hands before sounding the blow horn and making another trip through the Anchorage Channel. PHOTO: Grace Cha

Dealing with unruly or disruptive passengers can often leave Choquet and her crew feeling more like police officers than New York City Department of Transportation employees. From fights to vandalism to public urination, the passengers are often too much to bear.

Fortunately Choquet finds solace by returning to the calming vistas at the helm of the ferry and to recharge her passion for the water.

"I do feel that I am one of the luckiest people in the city," says Choquet.