Alistair Baillie

This week was the dreaded exam week. Monday started off very easily in the afternoon with Marine Analytical Methods (Standard Grade maths to you and me), followed by a 2 hour chart work examination starting at 1600.

Tuesday was an early rise for the “Navigation” exam which covered Tides, Celestial and Terrestrial navigation, followed on Wednesday morning by “Ship Operations” which covered stability.

Thursday morning was taken up by “Navigation Aids”.

Those that know me will know that I don’t discuss how I felt exams went – I’m somewhat superstitious in that respect.

To pass the navigation subjects I require 65%, and to pass the operations subjects I need 60%.

This afternoon we were told how to fill in and use the MNTB Training Record Books we were given last week, and told about the Navigation and Operations workbook we need to keep for the college.

I also found out that I got 93.5% for the chart work exam, so here’s hoping the rest are equally as good.

Tomorrow we get to meet our distance learning tutors and get given our written assignments we need to complete while we are away at sea. We then have to go sign our reports then you can basically leave.

Unfortunately I am stuck here till mid day Saturday when I am flying home to Scotland for 5 days, before I fly out to join my first ship in Santos, Brazil.

For anyone reading this on facebook you can see a list of where I am going to be for the next 6 months on the previous note.

Anyway, next time I write I should hopefully be on the ship, and hopefully this will get a bit more interesting.