East Caroga Lake is calm when the small band of kayakers sets off, slicing through the water, pointed west.

It’s a mellow Tuesday morning, but not a silent one. Laughter, conversation and friendly banter can be heard as the kayakers glide, pause to wait for stragglers or stop to rest.

This fun and friendly paddle is a weekly ritual for the Ladies of the Lake. The group started paddling together 25 years ago. 

And while members come and go, there are some constants. 

The women offer camaraderie and friendship, and there are few rules other than no men allowed.

For those eager to exercise and socialize together, the Ladies are warm and welcoming, happy to loan kayaks and gear to newcomers, quick to crack jokes and to share their signature phrase: “We’re the yak in kayak.” 

“We catch up as we’re kayaking side by side,” said Carol Lott, 71, of the Hamilton County hamlet of Benson. “You go to this kayak, then you go to the next one and find out what’s been going on.” 

Most are retired and range in age from the mid-50s to the mid-80s. 

Paddlers hail from the southern Adirondacks. The group has roots in the Fulton County village of Northville, on a peninsula surrounded by Great Sacandaga Lake.