Occasionally I receive a nice e-mail asking when DVD Volume 2 of Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown will appear.
The short answer is always the same; 'when we think the material is good enough'. The long answer is more involved.
We discussed content of DVD2 ages ago, but we have not yet shot a single frame. Why?
Partly, it's because I found myself completely unable to visualise how it would look on the screen. I stared at my notes, time and again, but the mental pictures refused to appear. I couldn't work out why.
The reason hit me two weeks ago.
When Gordon had explained the content he wanted in DVD1, I immediately understood what it would look like, because he had coached me using the exact same techniques you see on the DVD.
I could see the pictures in my head, because I'd already watched them on the water in real life.
But Gordon's coaching of me stopped short of the content he wants to put into DVD2, which he describes as "Five star, and beyond".
I need to know how Gordon teaches these things; weather, navigation, advance boat handling skills, rescues and much more.
So I've signed on to his Five Star training course. It runs 7-10 September and costs £320, a curious but legitimate business expense.
I am absolutely not a five star paddler, and have no intention of seeking assessment. This is the best way I can think of to understand the content Gordon wants to put into DVD2.
Should we have done this earlier? Well, yes, obviously. But life intervened.
Since last year, Gordon and family have been building a new house.
For the last three months, Liz and I have been building a new extension.
And we've all been running our businesses, Skyak Adventures and Sunart Media. But DVD2 will happen. Provided I survive the five star training...