We passed!

Going through a challenging situation is a great bonder of people. Here is the Day Skipper group I have spent the last 3 weekends with. Pretty much strangers at the start, but now, having shared hope, fear, dread and exam nerves, are good buddies. James, of SeaClan, our tutor and mentor, guided and encouraged us to bite on the bowsprit and believe we knew more than we thought we knew this morning. With waymarks, course to steer, set and drift, Neaps and Springs all roiling round our overloaded intellects this seemed a bit far-fetched. This afternoon it seems he was proved right because we have all passed! And indeed, with a bit more time and a few more practice questions I think we all felt we could have a stab at at least preparing a boat to sail, with a passage plan.
Still, no good resting on our genoas, the next part is to let out our mainsails and take the Practical Exam on board a ship and marinate all this knowledge with salty experience before it washes out of our heads again.