This was the major part of the assesment. We left the hotel at 10 and went to a nearby secluded bay. Correctly, it's called Neorio, but it's the major beach which we used for rescue practices, so we renamed it 'Dunking Bay'.
Basically, we had to demonstrate that we can perform an eskimo rescue and that we can be eskimo rescued, that we can do eskimo rolls, and that we could perform deep-water rescues, both as rescuer and rescuee.
What this means:
Deep-water rescue - it's the rescue that you don't really want to do, at least not in cold water, but sometimes have to. You are completely out of the kayak. The rescuer empties the water from the upturned kayak by pulling it across the deck while the rescuee holds their kayak and helps to balance it. Once it's empty and back in the water then the rescuer holds the kayak firmly and helps the rescued climb back in.
Eskimo rescues - you turn over, but wait a while before dropping out of the kayak. You hold your hands out of the water to signal that you are waiting, and a friend cruises up and offers you either the bow (or stern) of the kayak, or a part of the paddle. You then pull yourself upwards. The advantage of that one is that you are under the water for maybe 10 seconds and don't have to go through a full rescue, the disadvantage is that if no-one is nearby, there isn't much you can do.
Eskimo roll - you capsize, and then, using only the paddle and a bit of aquatic trickery, right yourself again. If you capsize accidentally, then obviously, this is the best thing to do.
It was a hard day, but net result is that me and girlfriend passed :) We got covered in a lot of salt and very nearly lost a pair of €300 sunglasses - Finnish opticians really should sell better retainers for glasses.
If I had the time, I would make spectacle retainers which are quite snug, and also float. Then you wouldn't have to dive under water for your glasses, and prey that the water isn't 10 meters. Oh, the things I could do if I didn't have a job...
We ended the day in a pub in Poros town. I had about 3 pints, way more than was sensible considering our plans for the next day. Gf doesn't drink, so I did get told off for it.
