
July 17 - 21, 2024
"This place will change your life"

What to bring to the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium
Must Haves:
- Kayak – Appropriate for the environment
- Paddle
- Spray skirt
- PFD/Life jacket
- Whistle
- Adaptability
- Ability to pack a lunch
- Laminated emergency card – with information you want emergency services to have (ie. insurance, blood type, emergency contact, etc.)
- Pictured Rocks Parking Pass (Any vehicle that will be in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will need to purchase a park pass)
- Smile and open attitude to learning
Strongly Suggested:
- Good water shoes or wetsuit booties. Required if renting a drysuit.
- Gloves or pogies
- Helmet – required for the surfing, playing around rocks or in caves but – it’s a good idea!
- Drysuit/wetsuit
- Nose plugs
- Water bottle
- Drybags for lunches, spare clothing
- Sunscreen
- Tow Belt – not strictly mandatory but you want one, or more specifically, your paddling friends really want you to have one.
- Synthetic layers underneath drysuit can be tailored by thickness for the right amount of warmth.
- Hat or helmet visor
- Sunglasses with retaining strap
- Bug Spray
- White light – required if you paddle at night (sunset paddle)
*Kokatat and NRS are providing a limited number of demo drysuits to the event. These are available on a first come first served basis and sizes are not guaranteed. If you want to rent a drysuit for the event, we recommended contacting Kayak Academy in California