Our final RYA course and certification with the East Anglian Sea School in the Levington Marina ended with success and qualification enabling our legal passage across the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean. We will miss the charm of sleepy Levington, which has become our second home in recent weeks. The morning was spent in the classroom learning about life raft deployment and its accompanying survival tools. After a brisk Sunday roast at our favourite village pub The Ship, we undertook the practical in the swimming pool. This was an invaluable lesson and despite a water temperature of 29 degrees (compared to North Sea at roughly 8 degrees) we managed to simulate an emergency situation and are now well versed in the correct method for such an eventuality. The key takeaway is to simply not enter the water, but if we do in the event of capsize or freak accident, after the initial shock, remain as calm as possible and to not attempt swimming until the body adjusts to the change in temperature. Hypothermia doesn’t set in for at least half an hour, giving you a window of opportunity to salvage the situation. Team Essence are go for the North Sea. 
