Fountain Valley Leadership Expedition

Join NOLS on the Fountain Valley Leadership Expedition, a 7-day sea kayaking expedition in beautiful Baja, Mexico!

The Baja California Peninsula and the Sea of Cortez are beautiful, dramatic environments. The land is rugged, dry, and mountainous, and the sea teems with marine life. You’ll explore these varied worlds in a sea kayak, on foot or with a snorkel.

Molly Hagbrand

Your instructors will teach you the foundational skills needed to paddle in this marine environment. These skills begin with an introduction to kayak equipment, paddle strokes, map reading and wet exits. Your days will begin at dawn as you paddle from one campsite to the next while you assess human, weather and marine hazards.

You’ll organize your meals in a “cook” group with two to three peers, with whom you’ll practice the art of backcountry cooking and living. You’ll get coaching from your instructors while you learn these new skills.

Molly Hagbrand

Group dynamics and leadership are integral parts of our core curriculum. You’ll immediately put to practice leadership roles, which focus on self leadership, peer leadership, designated leadership and active followership. Each person will co-lead a leadership day, which includes planning, briefing, facilitating and debriefing the day. Tolerance for adversity and uncertainty, a willingness to work hard, and respect for others will be critical to the success of the expedition.