It is fitting that the Ladies of the Lake sea kayak symposium is frequently referred to as “LOL.” I’ve learned a lot at all the symposiums I have attended in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois but I’ve laughed out loud more at Ladies of the Lake than any other.

Returning this year to Munising, Michigan after a seven-year hiatus, Ladies of the Lake is an all-women sea kayak symposium known not only for its quality instruction and comradery, but also its epic theme parties.

One swashbuckling year, the theme was “The Pirates of Drummond Island.” Captain Hook had to deal with everyone from Peter Pan to Tinkerbell. Many foam sword fights broke out, but no one had to walk the plank.

The year of the circus theme, we went from taming the waves of Lake Superior (or our own fears) to taming lions and tigers, walking tightropes and just clowning around. The Roarin’ 20s, Wild West, superheroes and Woodstock were among the themes in other years. This year’s theme is “Looney Tunes.”

The parties are not just a way to unwind and maybe act a little silly. They also provide an opportunity to build friendships and a sense of community, which is what Ladies of the Lake is primarily about.

Founded (and still run!) by Marquette, Michigan-based Down Wind Sports, the symposium caters to beginner paddlers still uncomfortable with capsizing and exiting their boat underwater and to those seeking greater challenges on the inland sea known as Lake Superior.

I was definitely one of the former when I first attended Ladies Of the Lake, but I learned I was not alone in that feeling. At the time, all I had was a nine-foot plastic recreational kayak and a healthy fear of big water. Paddle a sea kayak on Lake Superior? You’ve got to be kidding, I thought.

As we each purposely capsized and successfully wet exited, others in the group cheered. Community-building had begun.

We were paddling near flags that were noisily flapping in the gusty winds when I unexpectedly capsized during a bracing class on a windy day during my first symposium. My first thought after finding myself upside down in Lake Superior was, “Gee, it sure got quiet all of a sudden.”

In a real milestone for me, there was a sense of calm, not panic, as I pulled the grab loop on my spray skirt, exiting the cockpit while holding on to my paddle and kayak, returning to the noisy surface.

I’d like to say all my fears and anxieties sank to the bottom of the sea that day. They didn’t. But the experience and the support of instructors and fellow paddlers gave me the confidence to continue to push my perceived limits.

From that timid beginning paddler, I went on to become a certified instructor and coach at LOL and other symposiums. The biggest strength I brought to the table was remembering what it was like to be that scared beginner and working one-on-one, if necessary, to help people overcome the same challenges I had.

Some were skeptical when the Ladies of the Lake symposium launched in 2003 with all women participants and all women instructors. Even some instructors initially harbored doubts.

“I just didn’t see the need for an all women symposium,” said Lori Stegmier of Michigan, who coached at the very first LOL and nearly every one after that. “It did not take me long to realize how wrong I was.”

Stegmier describes the first symposium as “magical.”

“In an all-women environment, there is so much support and collaboration between coaches and between participants. They compete less and cheer more,” she said. “Women often step forward in new ways. It can be so empowering.”

That collaboration and sense of empowerment didn’t surprise Lynn Dominguez of Michigan. Her doctoral dissertation was on all women outdoor programs. “The behaviors I saw in my research were the exact same advantages that I saw occur at Ladies of the Lake,” she said.

Those included women being more comfortable asking questions and voicing concerns while not being overshadowed by men, who were often more assertive, quicker to answer instructors’ questions and sometimes talked over women.

It also meant instructors could address women-specific issues, from having a different center of gravity than men and, generally, less upper-body strength to dealing with personal body function in drysuits and wetsuits that didn’t always take women’s needs into account.

“The atmosphere was much less intimidating for woman participants,” said Dominguez.

Sebra Lacey of Minnesota, who is returning after attending several Ladies of the Lake symposiums, said her favorite thing about LOL was its “more laid-back atmosphere,” adding, “It’s refreshing to see that many strong, confident women in one place.”

Students weren’t the only ones to feel empowered.

Dominguez coached at several different symposiums for many years, but it wasn’t until Ladies of the Lake that she got to be a lead instructor and guide. “Through Ladies of the Lake, I gained an amazing amount of confidence in my abilities to be a leader,” said Dominguez. “Instead of being a ‘safety boater,’ one of many assistants on a day trip without much responsibility, we were in charge.”

Bill Thompson, owner of Down Wind Sports, got the idea for the symposium while reading Paddler Magazine’s “Women of Paddling” issue in 2002 while at the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium in Grand Marais, Michigan. He casually mentioned it to a woman at the Great Lakes symposium, telling her to “keep this idea to yourself,” but by the end of the evening, women were coming up to him asking about the as-yet-unplanned event. “With that, I was committed to doing it,” said Thompson.

The symposium continued through 2018, being held in eight different locations before settling in Munising, the western gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Now it’s back, taking place Aug. 15-17 in Munising. The after-paddle socials and theme party are back, too, but “learning on the move” during tours tailored to the participant’s skill level will replace formal classes.

Although long-time participants see this year’s event as kind of a reunion, first-timers are more than welcome. “It will be a special weekend where we can all get together again to reconnect and enjoy a special bond we have and introduce new paddlers to our family,” said Thompson.

Both instructors and participants point to long-lasting friendships as one of the best things about Ladies of the Lake. “I gained a great many paddling friends through LOL and have been friends with those people for quite a few years even though we live far apart,” said Joyce Russotto of Minnesota, who attended the first symposium and several subsequent ones and will be back this year.

“Other than Thompson, who I met through ice climbing, I knew no one at the first LOL I attended, but the other paddlers still welcomed me to the fold. Today, several people I met at the symposium are still close friends. We’ve on many trips together over the years.

“As much as we are all looking forward to seeing each other, we will also reach out to the newcomers to make sure no one feels left out. That’s part of the tradition of Ladies of the Lake.

“Even though health issues will keep me off the water, I’m still attending this year’s symposium. I don’t want to miss the hugs and laughter at what I consider to be a ‘family reunion.’

“Now I just have to figure out which Looney Tunes character to portray at the theme party.”

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Editor’s note: To learn more or register for Ladies of the Lake, visit downwindsports.com/lol.

Guest contributor Lenore Sobota is a retired journalist who attended her first Ladies of the Lake Sea Kayak Symposium in 2005. She became a Level 2 ACA-certified kayak instructor in 2010 and has been an instructor at kayak symposiums on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

Photography courtesy of Down Wind Sports and Lenore Sobota.