Ocean River Sports

We had a great experience with the guided Kayaking with Megan. She is very knowledgable and friendly, give us some ocean knowledge as well as some local stories which makes our visit very good experience. We highly recommend it.

I had the opportunity to join Corri for a mindfulness SUP. What a beautifully luscious experience Corri has created. I had only been on a stand up paddle board once before. Corri was kind and supportive in reviewing the basics with me, making me feel safe and secure on the board. I’ve participated in mindfulness exercises before, but what a unique and immersive experience to do so on the water: sun on your skin, birds chirping, cool water to dip a toe in – as desired of course. 10/10 would recommend.

I had such a lovely time attending Mindful Paddling with Corri! It could not have been a more beautiful day to practice on the water - so much warmth from the sun, cool ocean water, gorgeous golden hour glow. Corri took us through belly breathing, body scan and mindfulness exercises with a really down to earth approach. They were friendly and knowledgeable:) a great way to spend my Monday evening - thank you Corri!

Learning to kayak has been on my bucket list for a while, so I finally took the plunge, literally. Jo was an interesting and thorough instructor, also very patient with those of us who were highly anxious about getting under the water during the rescue drills. She obviously has a lot of experience in both teaching and kayaking, and is passionate about both. The dock staff were very helpful and kind, and the dock well organized. Going back with a fellow learner to rent kayaks this weekend!

Canoe rental in Victoria Harbour! Such a great experience. Service was awesome, great paddle around the harbour. Will definitely rent from again. Thank you!

Vicky and Cedric were amazing! Great kayaking trip with Ced, he was full of facts and jokes!

A great experience! Attended the Basic Kayaking Skills course yesterday, and it was exceptional. Lee, John, and Corri were great to work with, and the equipment was top-notch. Corri was a wonderful instructor - patient, very knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and encouraging in all aspects; with a lovely sense of humor. The course was more than basic kayaking skills but also an education on teamwork & safety, and making sure that everyone has a safe, pleasant experience regardless of skill level. A thoroughly enjoyable day, and it was a good foundational learning that left me enthusiastic to build upon. Looking forward to visiting them soon!

The guides who went on our kayaking tour with us were very knowledgeable, friendly and clearly enjoyed what they did. They took us to the inner harbour and up the gorge, it was beautiful and they even made sure to take lots of breaks and give us time to take photos. We saw an otter and a blue heron! Highly recommend.

Great knowledge with all the staff that helped me will go the extra mile to find answers if they did knot know one had everything ready for me and helped me out to my vehicle

Victoria and Federico assisted my spouse and I with two single kayaks over Easter weekend. They were both a delight. They were both friendly, attentive, and professional. We had a great self-guided paddle in the Victoria Harbour. You can't beat this place for excellent service.

I had a blast here! Thoughtful staff with great coaches for a beginner like me. There are a couple of different ways you can go once on the water, both that provide great sights of Canada

Weather an ocean, or a river these guys got you covered. Top notch service. If your lucky Rusty will lick your face.

If you're wondering if they're still around after COVID - they are! I just completed my sea kayak level 1 with Jennaka and Shawn as our instructors over the weekend. Learned some terrific paddle techniques, wet entries & exits both as an individual and paired, and covered the basics of charts & navigation! On Sunday, the weather was predicting gale force winds - they handled our course beautifully, taking into
i account the varying comfort levels of our group and safety precauti

I ons required for a level 1 certification. We completed all the course requirements in sheltered bays (with a little wave action) and were back at the launch before things got to hairy on the water. I would not hesitate to recommend this adventure outfit!

A fun and thorough beginners course taught by experiences and friendly guides. I am definitely coming back to keep my skills up!)

Wonderful instruction on Level 1 Paddling. Can't recommend it high enough for safety, clear instruction and navigation skills building.

Lee Philips customized a fabulous wet exit training and recovery for a group of 4 of us out of their Oak Bay location. Lee worked through some anxieties with careful 1 on 1 attention and met each of us, where we were, to instill confidence. He went above and beyond in every respect in terms of making it safe and fun - no small feat in cold salt water. Thanks Lee!

This is the second time I have rented kayaks from these folks. Super knowledgeable, friendly and enthusiastic people! It was a fabulous experience and I would recommend to anyone who wants to get out on the water for a couple of hours. So much fun! ️

Excellent experience! I will definitely continue to rent kayaks from Ocean River Sports. Nice quality kayak and excellent customer service and orientation.

Jon was a great instructor. Very helpful to fully understand how to manoeuvre your paddle board. Now just waiting to receive mine next week!

In victoria for couple of day, love getting out in the harbour. Hooked up with Nick to give us refresh/review/lessons so ready for upcoming Summer season. Nick is very laid back, but he KNOWS his stuff & he KNOWS how to teach it! We had a GREAt time learning & paddling all the way up to the Gorge & down the harbour.
We'd go again with Nick just to hang out! ;)

We enjoyed a very thorough lesson in marine kayak rescue and recovery with John last Sunday. The company was very accommodating to our needs as our friend who had just completed the level 1 kayak course with Ocean River was able to participate in the lesson too in preparation for our upcoming adventure. John was lovely, very knowledgeable and experienced and tailored the lesson to what we needed. He was very compassionate, yet was able to get our family out of our comfort zones. We as a family feel more prepared for our upcoming trip and now feel we have what it takes to enjoy it even more having the benefits and security of this knowledge. A warm thank you to John for all the suggestions and good humour and obvious passion for the sport. All equipment used was impeccable, accessable and adaptable according to the different age groups in our family.
Thanks again for such a valuable experience.

Great store.extremely knowledgable staff on what I was inquiring about, the subject of canoeing and kayaking.

Easy to rent a high end kayak. I’ve joined the Basics and Level 1 classes and it was informative and fun.well worth it.

I took a basic kayaking course with Ocean River Sports - absolutely loved it. Packed with information and practical experience. Got me through the fear of the wet exit!

They have been so lovely and accommodating to work with. One of the best customer service experiences I've had. If your considering taking a course or a tour i'd highly recommend this group!

Friendly staff! I was concerned with possible windy conditions, but the company made sure that I felt safe. They also stated that if i felt uneasy, they would bump my reservation to another day without penalty.

We did the paddle Canada sea kayak level 1 course recently and the staff were amazing. Great, knowledgeable and friendly teachers. Would recommend to anyone! They’re also great for rentals too!

They were great. Nick was very helpful with launching and about tillicum Narrows.
Thanks Nick

Had a great time with my partner on our anniversary, loved every minute of being on the crystal smooth water enjoying the sunset at the mouth of the Harbour to the Jan De Fuca strait. Ocean River Sports has a great kayak rental service, great staff, it's cheap as hell and a great time to go for a tour. We're already considering our next rental with them!

Top notch kayak rental and tours. A group of three of us did the Victoria circle loop guided tour with the owner Brian in December. We paddled up the gorge through the Tillicum narrows, portaged to portage park and visited Cole island in Esquimalt bay before having lunch and returning along the straight and into the harbor. Experienced paddlers recommended as this particular trip took 8: 30am-3pm in good weather.

First, the online booking system was easy. Then came the day of our rental, the young woman who checked us in was so professional and nice. She gave us an overview of the area and explained other important things to us. They have great Covid safety practices too. The kayak was beautiful and well maintained. Overall, it was an excellent experience and I can't wait to go back!

Rented a tandem kayak for my young son and I. The guys are super professional and knowledgeable, as well as patient teaching us. I can't wait to return again, it was a wonderful first time kayaking experience. Thank you.

Unfriendly and useless staff members. Very rude and dont even bother with customers when they walk in. Will never go there again because of the staff.

I've been here a few times recently and have been helped by Yannick on a couple of those visits. What a top bloke! Really friendly and knowledgeable. Needed some guidance for a kayak spray deck and he was able to offer some sound advice. All the staff have always been willing to spend time answering my questions. Great job ORS!

I had an equipment malfunction and the staff went above and beyond to help me. They were incredibly patient with my son who asked tons of questions. I continue coming back to this place because of the amazing customer service.

The shop in Victoria for paddling supplies, equipment, accessories, and personal gear from practical PFDs and leading design paddles, to stylish and ill-fitting personal gear. Definitely THE place to go.

Thank you for rental! We had so much fun visiting from Calgary. We appreciate the hospitality:)

The staff are friendly and helpful, the prices of Blundstone boots were within 1 dollar of alll other stores.