Day Skipper

Aye Aye Captain

Its official......when you have the Clipper 11-12 jacket, as demonstrated by a certain red-head in the photo below ;)






Well...so the Clipper story continues, and this time away from the sea - dry land ahead!! A five day theory based course with 2 exams on the last day. To learn all about the roles of a Day Skipper such as :- safety, chartwork, tides-tidal streams-ocean currents, meteorology, visual aids to navigation, international rules for preventing collisions at sea and much much more!



It sounds easy...but certainly was not!




The day began at 9am and finished about 6pm, time for dinner - do a work out (well, that was my intention to keep up my training for the World Transplant Games in July), then do the homework set and revise! Phew

Here, I am looking all studious and smiley on different days....but the real 'me' was actually a stressed, panicky, fear of not being able to pick up all the information crammed in - in what felt like an extremely intense course. There were various levels of intelligence...hahaha..and mind being least so - just not getting all this chart work marlarky. Like another language and no amount of teaching was going to get through to me. I really wanted to socialise with the rest of the group, but felt I needed to re - read all we were taught after each lesson and keep reading my navigation book and the day skipper book given on the course. Also from going over anything I just didnt understand and keep re-doing until I did. Our teacher was very kind, and I expressed to him how I was struggling and couldnt figure out some of the answers and asked for extra help. I really wanted to do well and almost every night was up to about midnight. On the 4th day, exhausted would be an understatement. My brain was fried and I think I was going into overdrive. One night, I had dinner and my body was so tense - I just couldnt relax and unwind...and silly to say, but was close to tears a few times over this week. Well, I decided to socialise and go out for dinner with the group the night before the exams, and was the best thing I could have done! Change of scenery from being in a classroom or in my room revising and charts all over the floor and books everywhere in a small space. Giggles, yummy foods and fresh air - all helped to ease the little stress head I had made myself become with panic over the intensity of learning a new subject.

However...I did still stay up and revise to midnight, the night before the exams - then absolutely flake out!!

I did try to train one day during the week - along the seafront and go for a run. I was out for maybe 30 mins in the heat and trying to run on the pebbled beach. It was very tough, but, good to get some sea air. Have you ever tried running on pebbles?? I think I started then quickly stopped after like a minute - outa breathe and kicking stones - not ideal..hahaha. I am NOT a runner by no means and can't run continuous anyways due to my lung function. It reminded me of the Bupa Great South Run I did in 2009 - running a few mins, walking a few mins and repeating the whole distance ....but I did do it :)

I felt bad not exercising much as normally I would try do so 5 x week in my various disciplines, and when you stop you loose some of what you have achieved to date. But...I just gave up of trying to train - I needed to get my mind set into this course and put the work in as much as was required for me - to pass!!




And here we have some of the lovelies also doing the Day Skipper course:- from left to right:- Barrie, Lesley, Richard, Pete, Tim & Patrick












The same crew - this time with Vanessa making an appearance. There was also another lady called, Lora - but somehow not in the pic (maybe because she was absorbed into a pint of guiness ;)






So, as I said I was a goody two shoes revising most nights until midnight and had the night before the exams out at a nice Tapas Restaurant. Oh....but, I forgot to mention (or maybe I didn't want to mention)...a homemade lasagna experience cooked by Sam - another chap in Clipper doing his Day Skipper Practical, with Wend (met from Level 1) and others on this course on their yacht one night. I am the Queen lasagna maker - FACT!! No one has ever made a lasagna as good as me - ever!! I enjoyed the banter and sat and ate thinking this is pretty good..even more so, being made with soya mince. Ok..so, Sam.....Lasagana WAR it is! And anyone else..think they can match me - bring it on! I still think I am the best....hahahahahaha.


One of the new yachts for the race - pretty kool - eh!.....and some red head yet again managed to be snap shot into the background. She creeps up everywhere .........

It was lovely also how the weather was stunning and hot and below I am trying on the Clipper 11-12 jacket - not knowing that Rich was actually taking piccies of me before I said to take a photo. But a natural photo - so thought worth posting :)







SOoooooooooooooooooooo...EXAM day! Well, I was at the point, what will be will be and nothing more I can do. I had spoken to my Dad and so very stressed and just thought I can only do my best now. Wend had told me, that you do get a 'Eureka' moment, when it all clicks. That hadn't happened to me at all during the week. Oh well.

Exam 1, general questions based and Exam 2 - the chartwork paper (eek).

Hallelujah.........Eureka...Woohoo moment has hit the Miss J Laymond on day 5 exam day, and things really DID all come together and make sense, and I found that I could do the chartwork even if a slow mo.

And I passed both exams - such a relief - I can't tell you! So a happy me and a happy everyone, as the whole group passed. So, we all had lunch sitting in the sunshine before my drive back, and the rest of the group going onto do their Level 3 practical.

And thats it...for now. About 6 weeks until I'm competing in Sweden with other transplantees and then in July 2 more practical sailing courses...then the race begins.

Stay happy everyone and much love for now...I will end on......

Day 'theory' Skipper Jussie happy happy

OVER