Victor Flores
 NOLS
Instructor since: 1993
Courses taught: Backpacking and Sea Kayaking
"I was intrigued by the ocean. I wanted to be part of Cousteau's
crew," says Victor Flores of his move from Mexico City to Baja 15
years ago. While Victor may not have made it aboard the Calypso, he has
managed to make a career out of his love for the seas.
In Baja, Victor became an avid scuba diver and earned a degree in Marine
Biology. He studied ecology at the university in La Paz and worked at
a natural history museum organizing bones of dolphins and whales.
In 1993, Victor headed north for a Wind
River Mountaineering Course and then a mountain instructor course. "Wyoming
is great but there is too much land. I go crazy when I can't see the
water," he says of his first summer in the Rockies. Victor now
instructs hiking and sea kayaking courses in Alaska, Baja and Wyoming.
Ironically, Victor now lives in Boulder, Colorado, where he is studying
graphic design. He would like to combine his many interests by writing
and illustrating children's books about marine biology.
It's clear that Victor is enchanted with Baja. He talks candidly about
the vast coastline and abundance of marine life, "It's such a unique
and pristine environment. You can explore the desert with all it's birds,
you can snorkel, dive, see dolphins and wonderful sunsets."
"My favorite thing about NOLS courses is getting to know new places
and exploring. You have a map and you just go," says Victor. "I
also strongly believe in outdoor education. We can introduce students
to global environmental issues. . . and I think education is so much
more effective than politics. That's why I work for NOLS."
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