Tony and his flock out for Nautical License Training

Got this shot this morning as Tony was heading out the of marina with a group of students taking their 'Nautical License' training. The Maltese government has legislated that by 2011 all boaters sailing vessels with engines over 30hp must have a nautical license. The Malta Sailing Academy got a contract to teach this course and are already booking classes. Tony teaches the practical part of the course on the water in this R.I.D, which goes very fast. Tony took me for a spin in it today and when he opened up the 110hp engine I screamed and said nooooooooooooo. Didn't like it at all. I felt like a pea on a drum being bounced around with nothing to hold on to.
I don't think that's what he does with his students, quite the opposite, he is not teaching them to scare their wives and create a fist shaking wake around marinas, he's teaching them responsible boat handling, knowledge of buoyage systems, man overboard and general boat etiquette. They also have a classroom component to the course which deals with alot more theory.
Well I've finally skippered my first charter on a 43' Beneteau. My clients were a group of German insurance agents who were on an all paid for incentive reward holiday with the company they work for in Germany. There were 5 charter boats altogether. The others all had 6 insurance agents and I had 5. We staged a 'race', and as there was a bit of breeze we did actually do quite a bit of tacking. Half of my group were pretty enthusiastic about helping me - and because they're gentlemen, probably felt obliged to do that anyway. But I think they had a nice day. We sailed up to a small (very small) bay on the north west side of Comino, looking through a gap in the rocks to the famous 'Blue Lagoon'. We anchored there and had a nice lunch which was provided by the hotel. A couple of the men drank quite alot, but the others hardly at all.
We motored back to their hotel in about an hour and a half. The drinkers predictably fell asleep, draped in various places on the deck. The other 2 and I, one of whom had very good English and diligently translated for the other, talked about the history of Malta - and how it was here during WWII. How my dad met my mum. We talked about our children and how the world is so different for them than it was for us. About the Pope being here recently - which really surprised them. I suppose its quite something that the Pope came to a country of only 400,000 people.

All in all it was a good day - they all thanked me profusely, congratulated me on my first day on the job, and after a very ugly but safe docking I came home very pleased with myself. I hope they book me for more.

I'm coming home to Canada July 22nd for about a month, really looking forward to seeing my children, my new grandson and my friends. I'll fly to Victoria as Mary and Josie are there, have to go to Parksville to check up on the house and then over to the mainland. Taking in Capitain Pedro and Michelle's wedding and maybe I'll get down to San Fran to see my other daughter for the opening of her salon/studio.