Pathfinder

You’re gazing up at the incredible night sky. The air is warm, and you’re lying on the bow of Perle d’Azur, in the cosy anchorage after a wonderful day’s sail.

You’re wondering why it has taken so long to see things so clearly.

Today you made real progress in your coaching. You’ve identified the key actions you feel totally comfortable taking that will change everything.

They’re so obvious, and yet were invisible until now. Like the stars, the options were present but hidden behind the brightness of everyday burning priorities.

Somehow, you’ve opened the door to a world you always knew was there but didn’t quite dare to contemplate.

You have a plan that makes significant changes yet maintains the things that are important to you.

And you can’t wait to get started.

Someone calls out and offers you coffee and croissants.

What is Pathfinder?

To experience PATHFINDER coaching, whether it’s for a day in the sunshine, or a week of deep contemplation, is to suspend time and give yourself the tools and means to take stock, plan, and return to everyday life with new energy, tools and focus.

PATHFINDER is a format of one-to-one or very small group coaching based on the river Medway (or further out to sea if useful to your objectives).

You will be welcomed upon Perle d’Azur, a classic 32’ sailing boat, and embark upon a journey of self-discovery.

No sailing experience necessary, but if you have it that’s great too.

How does it work?

When you first contact me, we will explore what you’d like to get from our time together. The topic of your coaching is up to you, but our discussion will help you define a clear objective and so benefit from our coaching all the more. It may be you just want time to think. If so, that becomes our objective.

You’ll choose the format for your PATHFINDER coaching (1 day, 3 days or 5 days). There are options for longer trips if relevant to what you’re trying to achieve).

A typical day: Pathfinder 1-day coaching

0800 – Welcome onboard – You’ll be offered a tasty breakfast including coffee & croissants, and I’ll provide you with an intro to how to sail safely. Our focus is on coaching, not sail training, so I’ll keep the safety brief brief!

0900 – Sail down-river – You will notice how quickly your mind lets your everyday fade into the background and redirects its focus on the here and now. We take a leisurely sail downriver, past the Medway Estuary towards the famous Montgomery wreck that still contains WW2 explosives, or Red Sand Towers if the weather is suitable. When sailing our mind has time and space to explore, and we will fully use this time to explore the subject of your coaching.

1300 – Lunch – Perle d’Azur is fully equipped to provide ‘tea on tap’ as well as hot and cold food. We can either stop for lunch or eat on the move if that’s your style.

1500 – Anchor in Stangate Creek – As we make our way back upriver, we could pause whilst you consolidate your day’s thinking and come up with a plan that you can implement when you return home or to work. Maybe you combine this with a glass of wine (or ice tea) to the backdrop of the wildlife and sun twinkling on the water.

1800 – Moor up – One day on the water passes quickly and fills our minds with wonderful new insights and ideas. You will return home, sleep like a baby, and be excited to put your new plan into action.

A typical day: Pathfinder 3-day coaching

As with everyday situations we will adapt to take best advantage of prevailing conditions (in this case tide times and wind direction), but here’s a pretty good idea of what you can expect:

Day 1: 0800 – Welcome onboard – As with the one-day coaching we will meet for breakfast. I’ll introduce you to the boat and we’ll cruise downriver past the estuary towards the Princess Channel.

Night 1: Continue Sailing – At night the sea offers a completely new perspective. We continue our journey but with new tools. On your night watch you will have time to contemplate your goals and current situation, guided by my coaching techniques.

Day 2: 1000 – Arrive at Dover – We’ll moor in the harbour and take a late breakfast whilst further exploring your coaching topic. We’ll take time to rest, and ready ourselves for the return trip.

Day 2: 1600 – Back to Sea – As we pass the famous cliffs of Dover and make our way back up the channel inside the Goodwin Sands, you will find yourself creating several options to move you closer to your goals.

Day 3: 0800 – Anchor in Stangate Creek – As we get closer to home Stangate Creek on the Medway offers the perfect place to anchor for a couple of hours, rest, and have breakfast (coffee and croissants, orange, and more coffee). It’s also time to consolidate and future pace your plan of action. I will guide you through visualisation techniques to future-proof your intentions and give you new focus and energy.

Day 3: 1200 – Relaxing sail home

Day 3: 1500 – Moor up – Three days will pass fast, yet it will feel like a lifetime ago that we left Medway Yacht Club. You may wish to have a late lunch or early dinner in one of the numerous harbour-view pubs before returning home.

A typical day: Pathfinder 5-day coaching

If you would like to really explore who you are and how to communicate with yourself and others in a whole new way, then maybe opt for the 5-day coaching format.

As we explore creeks, coast and open sea, you will navigate your inner thoughts, beliefs, hopes, fears, habits, and map of the world.

As with each of my coaching formats we will agree what you hope to achieve during your course, whether it’s simply to create space and time to allow your mind to realign, or to focus on a specific question or dilemma.