A wealth of fun and learning awaits you at the Door County Sea Kayak Symposium. You'll find a wide range of activities to choose from, including on-water classes for all skill levels, on-land workshops, and a wide range of paddling tours. Read all about them under the Classes & Tours section.

One of the things that sets our symposium apart is the community we build. Part of that happens at the group meal each day. Share stories from the day with fellow paddlers at the Friday and Saturday dinners and Sunday lunch. These meals are included in the days for which you are registered.


Sunrise Yoga
6:15-7:00am Friday and Saturday
Bring a mat or a towel and start your day out with yoga out on the marina dock.


Rolling Demo
12:30-1:00pm Saturday
Watch different kinds of rolls and learn the differences and similarities between Euro and Greenland approaches to rolling.

Vendor Exhibits
Meet with vendors and ask questions, try gear out, and get to know the people who work for the companies you love.


Meet and Greet Social
7:30-8:30pm Thursday
An introduction of the staff, instructors and fellow participants to kickoff the weekend.

Auction to Benefit the Door County Land Trust
7:30-8:15pm Saturday
Our annual auction features items donated by Door County artists and Rutabaga vendors raising funds to support the wonderful efforts of the Door County Land Trust. Last year we raised $5,824. Incredible!


Evening Campfires
8:00-10:00pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Enjoy a mellow end to your day with other paddlers under the stars.

FREE Beer (& Root Beer)
6:00-10:00pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Enjoy a beverage on us! This IS Wisconsin. Wine is also available for purchase.

If you've been itching to learn the skills needed to spend a night living from your boat, join us on a two-day, one night journey on Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula right before the Sea Kayak Symposium officially kicks off! This additional opportunity is the perfect introduction to kayak camping. Spaces are limited and you must sign up during initial registration, or contact us at dcsks@rutabaga.com for late registration.

The self-supported journey will begin at Rowleys Bay. On arrival, you will meet as a group to discuss the trip, distribute and pack gear, and load boats. We will make our way to Newport State Park and a waterfront camp site accessible only by backpacking or paddling. After setting up camp, we will prep up our kitchen, enjoy a delicious meal (nothing freeze dried here!), and wrap the night searching for stars. Newport is designated a Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association so as long as Mother Nature cooperates, expect the post-dinner views of the Milky Way to be amazing!

On day two, we will have a quick breakfast, break camp and repack our boats for the return trip to Rowley's Bay by 11:00 am.

Trip includes logistics planning, camp site reservations and fees, parking, and dinner and breakfast while camping. Group members will be expected to assist with minor camp duties and sharing the load with group gear.

Group members are expected to provide their own boat (minimum 14' with sealed bulkheads in bow and stern), personal paddling and camping gear, clothing, and snacks.

It is expected that participants will have participated in a minimum of three, one-day journeys longer than 5 nautical miles with a group and be familiar with and have practiced self and assisted rescue techniques.

Cost: $150 per participant
Dates: July 5-6, 2023
Time: Meet at 2:00 pm on July 5 at Rowleys Bay Resort