Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium

09/04/2026

If you were paddling at GLSKS this year, chances are you got your hands on a Werner paddle at some point.

Werner showed up in a big way this year: demo paddles on the beach all week so you could actually feel the difference in a blade before committing; Will (Werner Rep) was on-site at their table to talk gear and answer questions; and a donation to our raffle.

Huge thanks to Werner Paddles for supporting GLSKS and for putting genuinely excellent gear in people's hands all week.

09/03/2026

This is the kind of feedback we hear again and again from GLSKS paddlers: coaching that's creative, personal, and genuinely fun, on top of real skill-building.

That's not a one-off. It's how our whole coaching team approaches the week. Every pod, every instructor, every group is built around the same idea: you learn best on the water, alongside people who are paying attention to you specifically, not running you through a script.

Whatever pod you land in, whoever your coaches are, this is the experience you're signing up for.

Join us in July.

Registration fills up quickly, so don't wait.

GLSKS 2027
July 14 - 19
Grand Marais, MI

https://www.greatlakesseakayaksymposium.net/events/glsks-2027/

09/03/2026

GLSKS 2027 is already halfway full.

If you've been to Grand Marais with us before, you know why this fills up fast. If you haven't yet, this is your sign. We're already 50% booked for next July, and spots go quick once word gets around.

Mid-July 2027. Lake Superior. World-class coaching, a paddling community that feels like family, and you'll be counting down to the next one before you've even left.

Register today: https://www.greatlakesseakayaksymposium.net/events/glsks-2027/

08/28/2026

This is what a good pod feels like.

"My pod was 100% positive energy. Excellent coaching." — Emily T.

It's not that you get lucky with the right group. It's that people show up willing to learn, open to being coached, and pliable enough to actually adapt what they're working on. That's what makes a pod good, the willingness people bring with them. Put a group of people like that together on the water and the coaching just clicks.

Thank you Emily for putting it so simply. This is exactly why we do this.

Registration for 2027 is open now - https://www.greatlakesseakayaksymposium.net/

08/16/2026

We're one month out from GLSKS 2026, but that also means we're one month CLOSER to GLSKS 2027!

Every year, this event is filled with learning, growth, connection and fun. And every year, it's held together by the coaches.

What a lot of paddlers don't see is how much these coaches invest in their own growth before they ever step into a pod. Many explored Discovery Learning with The Power of Water in a pre-symposium training. Others have gone through The Connected Paddler's That Teaching Bit cohort. And every single coach showed up for Wednesday's coach development day, ready to keep sharpening their craft.

These aren't coaches who arrive knowing it all. They're coaches who keep choosing to learn, so they can meet every paddler in their pod exactly where they are.

To every coach who showed up ready to grow: thank you. GLSKS is what it is because of you.

Registration for 2027 is open now, link in bio.

08/05/2026

Another great learning opportunity!

2026 Registration is Now Open! Join Nate Hanson, Josh Hall, and we Todd Johnstone-Wright for a weekend of sheltered water through advanced open-water development. We aim to have fun playing in a dynamic and aesthetically striking environment, developing performance, building community, and breaking

08/05/2026

This is why we do this.

"We had a great experience as first timers, clicked right in with all of you like-minded people, learned ALOT from excellent instructors. I came to learn and definitely achieved that goal." — Mari

Reading feedback like this from Mari after her first GLSKS is just... it's the whole point. You show up not knowing anyone, a little unsure, and by the end you've got a pod full of people who feel like your paddling family. That's not an accident; that's what our coaches and this community build every single year on Lake Superior.

If you've been thinking about your first symposium, this is your sign. We'd love to have you in Grand Marais next year.

08/03/2026

There were so many amazing moments this year!

Share an ah ha moment, a moment that made you smile, or something you just keep thinking about.

We heard some amazing stories on Saturday night during our raffle.

07/23/2026

If you joined us this year, we'd love to hear from you.

Share your reflections here

07/22/2026

Register Now for 2027!

We just wrapped a truly impactful week together in Grand Marais and can't wait to get back there next summer. Here's what just a few people are saying. If you were there - share a highlight below.

"My pod was 100% positive energy. Excellent coaching." - Emily

"The confidence I gained during that time cannot be measured. And the friendship, trust, and camaraderie that developed among our pod members was something I didn't expect. I look forward to attending another symposium." - Geoff

"Many thanks for an excellent symposium! The format allowed a lot more teamwork development than what I recall from 10+ years ago. The on water instruction format was also a significant plus." - Ed

"Shout out to all the coaches, they are so knowledgeable and are able to teach at any level!" - Linda