Some of you may have noticed, or maybe just my parents, that I have not been so verbose as I was last year. And the reason, draining though it is, is license seminar. License seminar consists of reading thousands of questions, studying hundreds of hours, and not sleeping. Unfortunately, the answers don't seep in through the hair follicles by osmosis. The blessed few taking seminar are graduating in August, at least if they pass seminar and cruise they will.
Engineers take their tests while at sea, deckies during port time.
In Barbados, for example, I have one full day in port, Saturday. The others are either test days or watch days. No, not even for three days. Between Barbados and August lies an ocean. An ocean of questions, and I a swimmer.