Today we were joined by an RYA examiner to assess our competence for what is known as the "International Certificate of Competence" - ICC for short.

Whist in the UK it is not necessary to hold any form of qualification to skipper a small boat, as a general rule the further inland and further south you go the more likely it is that you need to carry a certificate of competence.

Like most UK applicants we have taken the view that even though we may not strictly have to have one, it is easier to take the test in English than to waste time in a multi-lingual argument with a harbour master or immigration official who is insisting that a certificate must be produced before the entry or exit formalities can be completed.

God was on our side with near perfect conditions; hardly any wind, clear skys, sunny and little current when we were undertaking our practical test. We're pleased to say that we passed!

Last week we also passed the "Code Europeen des Voies de la Navigation Interieure" - CEVNI for short which allows us to navigate the European Inland Waterways if we wish to (otherwise you cannot go any further than the first obstruction ie. bridge or lock).

Now all that remains is for the certificate to be issued, which hopefully we will collect somewhere in the Channel Isles fairly shortly.