Skipper Course and Exams

Today, we had our exams for the theory of the Skipper Course. We had been having courses since Tuesday the 8th of January and today Saturday 12th, we had our oral examinations.

The courses were held at the Naval Institute in Pointe Aux Sables. The four day course is very interesting and instructive. It was really nice to get to meet people who are actually in contact with the sea in their everyday life.

For anyone interested, in Mauritius you now need a skipper's license to be allowed to operate a boat(known as a pleasure craft). To get the license, you must apply at the Ministry of Tourism in Port Louis and wait for the letter to tell you when the course will be held.

The fee to pay is Rs 1500 at registration and the course takes place in an air conditioned lecture theater at the Naval Institute.  Lunch is included and the course is from 9 am to 4 pm. The exam is in creole and done a lot like for those who go for the oral exams for a driver's license.

We got to learn about the rules to obey when travelling over water bodies, the lights of different types of boats and even a course about first aid.

The instructors are experienced sailors and captains with the Coast Guards or the Mauritius Pride and Trochetia vessels.