A New Year and the Outdoors are Calling!

It's hard to believe but we're just a few short weeks away from kicking off our 2023 season here at NOLI. And, if you're like us, you're looking forward to spending as much of it outdoors as possible.  We have a lot planned this year - one of our fullest schedule of events to-date - with over 50 different classes and 150+ unique events on the calendar. Returning are all of our established classes across our core disciplines including Kayaking, Canoeing, Wilderness Medicine, Water Safety & Rescue, Conservation, Hiking & Camping, and Wilderness Survival & Navigation. First out of the gate are our 2-day Wilderness First Aid & CPR classes on March 4-5, important training for all outdoor enthusiasts to have for when things don't go according to plan and advanced care in not close at hand. In March, we also have a number of kayak and canoe classes coming up, including class 2, class 3, combat roll, creeking transitionals and 3-day immersives. Our first wilderness survival class of the year is March 18 and one- and two-day wilderness navigation classes are March 25 and March 25-26 respectively. And, if you want to learn or expand on one of the most essential outdoor skills, we have our first Knots for the Outdoors Class for the season on Mar 19. And the fun continues in April with Advanced Swiftwater Rescue classes on Apr 8 and Apr 9, Backpacking 101 Class on Apr 9, Class 3/3+Whitewater Kayak Spring Tune-ups during NoliFest on Apr 14 and Apr 15, Class 2/2+ Whitewater Kayak Spring Tune-up on Apr 14, Hammock Camping & Tarpology on Apr 15 and a free guided hike to Coon Den Falls on Apr 8.

We are also pleased to announce the addition of several new classes and adventures this year, some of them the direct result of your feedback and requests. These include:

• Suwannee River Multi-Day Kayak Adventure - We introduced this in late September of last year but Hurricane Ian had other plans. This 3-day kayak camping adventure on the uniquely beautiful Suwannee River in Northern Florida is sure to be a highlight of anyone's year. Spots are already filling up for our May 5-7 Adventure so book early to reserve your place.
• Wilderness Survival 201 and Immersive - We are routinely asked by our survival students about follow-on training opportunities. We heard you and are pleased to be adding a Wilderness Survival 201 class and Wilderness Survival Immersive (4 days). Stay tuned for details.
• Youth Camps - We are still assessing these for 2023 but are looking to possibly add Outdoor Adventure Camps for youth this summer. Stay tuned!



In addition to the links above all of our classes can be found on our website at www.nolilearn.org. We also post these on our Facebook page as we get closer to the events so, if you’re on social media, be sure to like or follow us for the latest news and updates.

Returning to lead our classes in 2023 is our stellar team of talented instructors: Viki Austin, Debbie Briscoe, Brad Eldridge, Minta Ray, Rob Schoborg, Ryan Shealy, Jerry Smith, Robin Pope and Bill Schooley.  To learn more about all of these exceptional individuals, among the very best in the business, go to www.nolilearn.org/meet-our-instructors.

We remain committed this year, as always, to providing outdoor education to as many people as possible regardless of age, experience or financial circumstances. To inquire about scholarship options contact us at info@nolilearn.org.

Lastly, we very pleased to announce that we are moving to a redesigned website with an improved customer interface that will make searching for and booking classes easier. We've brought in the top outfitter web solution design firm in the country and what they've come up with so far is outstanding. Stay tuned but in the meantime our current site is up-to-date and taking registrations.

The outdoors is as much a part of a healthy lifestyle as ever, maybe more so, and we look forward to spending time with many of you again this year doing the things we all love. If you need anything or have any questions, contact us any time. See you outside in 2023!

Scott Fisher is the founder of NOLI and teaches kayaking, water safety & rescue, wilderness survival, wilderness navigation, wilderness first aid and Leave No Trace.