Last week was a rather big step in this adventure; it was the culmination of all the official courses to get my Cruising Instructor qualification, and get the qualification I did! 

I certainly won’t go so far as to say with flying colours, there was definitely room for improvement.  That’s one of the things we all love about sailing, you’re constantly learning and improving, sharing and discovering new things, and I don’t believe that changes however qualified the RYA or a similar body say you are. 

The course itself was unlike any of the others I’ve done to date; whilst the Yachtmaster Offshore exam week was stressful and tiring to say the least, this was a new challenge again.  Unlike the Yachtmaster where you’re examined at the end of the week, with time to prepare and ask questions beforehand, this was a constant week of assessment, whilst being taught and demonstrating new skills at the same time, also acting both as novices for fellow examinees, and providing peer feedback on the same.  I took notes for everyone on the course on the constructive criticism we received; my after the fact minute-taking skills from my past life in the City still come in handy!

I think we all learned a lot and felt that it was an exceptionally worthwhile thing to have done even if we didn’t walk away with the full qualification at the end of it.  I know I have stuff to work on, those areas I anticipated I was weak in before and had practiced before the course, plus aspects I hadn’t expected to be tested on, entirely fluffed, and had to pull myself together to ensure I didn’t entirely throw in the towel too soon.  There was also a written exam for which I’d revised entirely the wrong thing, also daily presentations which proved just how nerve inducing it is to stand at the front of a classroom with nothing but a whiteboard and a marker pen; dare I admit I prefer presenting on conference calls where no-one can see your knees knocking?

The yacht was based at a marina in Lanzarote, which I used to consider my favourite Canary Island; I think I have been somewhat swayed by my year in Tenerife, not least due to its proximity to La Gomera and ease of flights back to the UK.  Lanzarote is more expensive for day-to-day necessities and meals out, also feels a lot more remote, it is certainly less expat – I can’t decide whether that’s a good or bad thing.  Getting there and back was my first experience with prop planes; another rather unexpected aspect of this adventure and lifestyle is that it has helped with my trust issues.  I am not sure if I’m quite up for a rollercoaster just yet, but I might go out flying with a friend in his four seater plane without crying.  Chair lifts may have to wait a while.

So, since I first sailed in 2009, it has taken 16 sailing weeks on seven different yachts, with nine instructors/examiners, and I’ve got my Yachtmaster Offshore, commercial endorsement and Cruising Instructor qualification.  I just need to work on speaking slower, demonstrating MOB (man overboard) under sail, certain finer details of the passage of a depression, ….. the list continues.

I am ever so proud of what I have achieved to date out here, eternally thankful to those who have supported me, and excited to see what the next chapter throws my way.