East Coast Outfitters Sea Kayaking
East Coast Outfitters Sea Kayaking
East Coast Outfitters Sea Kayaking
4.5
Eco ToursNature & Wildlife ToursSelf-Guided Tours & RentalsStand Up PaddleboardingKayaking & Canoeing
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Full view
About
We specialize in professionally guided sea kayaking tours & lessons, and offer a full service equipment rental and sales program. Our fleet is one of the largest in Atlantic Canada, and features top quality boats and equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers. All of our guides are highly trained and nationally certified.East Coast Outfitters (E.C.O.)is a community based eco-tourism operator that has been Halifax’s premier paddling spot since 2001. Locally owned and operated, ECO specializes in sea kayak, canoe, & stand up paddle board (SUP) tours, lessons, and equipment rentals. ECO’s guides are some of the most highly trained and qualified paddlers in the region, and will show you everything you need to know to get on the water safely. ECO offers a wide range of tours and lessons to choose from: guided tours every day, lessons every weekend, and daily specials which range from skills clinics on Mondays, Yoga on Sundays, to an after-work paddle, BBQ & live music on Friday nights. The ECO base is in Lower Prospect, a tiny fishing village located a 1/2 hour from Halifax. We have a giant wharf, a post-and-beam boathouse, and one of the largest fleets of boats in the Maritimes. ECO is where Halifax paddles.
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East Coast Outfitters Sea Kayaking
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
61 reviews
Excellent
48
Very good
7
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3
Terrible
3
Brown47578
Rockville, MD11 contributions
"Coastal sea kayaking" is offered as an optional shore excursion for cruise ships visiting Halifax ($133 US when we traveled). Six in our party (mix of two >40 men and 4 20's young folk) were picked up at the pier alongside Carnival Victory by a comfortable tour bus that made the 45-minute drive along the coast to Lower Prospect.
We were met by friendly staff who quickly got us oriented and fitted to the equipment we would be using (paddle, PFD, skirt, and boat). Then launched in groups of 12 (three tandem boats, 6 singles, and 3 guides) for a circuit of rocky islands and capes. We saw no sea mammals, though we were told that seals, otters, and the occasional whale have been sighted. Lots of birds of course, and fish in the shallows. The route took us out to the seaward buoy where a little bit of surfing was quite enjoyable, even a little bit of adrenaline rush.
The seascape provides an excellent respite from land-bound life. The paddling is not too strenuous; a little effort combined with the sleek kayak shape and judicious use of the foot-pedal operated rudder makes for a nice pace through the water. The guides provide good advice on choices of equipment, techniques, and what to watch for.
After a 2 hour paddle that ended all too soon, we had a little barbequeue at the boathouse--lobster roll, fresh fruit, and steamed mussels. Very tasty.
ECO is a community-based company that is well worth supporting. Clean facility with toilets, changing rooms, topnotch equipment, friendly and expert staff. Highly recommended.
We were met by friendly staff who quickly got us oriented and fitted to the equipment we would be using (paddle, PFD, skirt, and boat). Then launched in groups of 12 (three tandem boats, 6 singles, and 3 guides) for a circuit of rocky islands and capes. We saw no sea mammals, though we were told that seals, otters, and the occasional whale have been sighted. Lots of birds of course, and fish in the shallows. The route took us out to the seaward buoy where a little bit of surfing was quite enjoyable, even a little bit of adrenaline rush.
The seascape provides an excellent respite from land-bound life. The paddling is not too strenuous; a little effort combined with the sleek kayak shape and judicious use of the foot-pedal operated rudder makes for a nice pace through the water. The guides provide good advice on choices of equipment, techniques, and what to watch for.
After a 2 hour paddle that ended all too soon, we had a little barbequeue at the boathouse--lobster roll, fresh fruit, and steamed mussels. Very tasty.
ECO is a community-based company that is well worth supporting. Clean facility with toilets, changing rooms, topnotch equipment, friendly and expert staff. Highly recommended.
Written August 1, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bron-bird
Kitchener, Canada14 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
My 8 year old daughter and I enjoyed a spectacular evening kayak with ECO
on July 3rd. We were visiting Halifax for a brief vacation and decided
to rent a car to get out to Lower Prospect. It was definitely worth it!
Adam and crew managed to co-ordinate everything perfectly ensuring proper
equipment for everyone. Seeing the topography from the vantage point of a
kayak was terrific. Thanks again for a great experience and hope to see
you on our next trip.
on July 3rd. We were visiting Halifax for a brief vacation and decided
to rent a car to get out to Lower Prospect. It was definitely worth it!
Adam and crew managed to co-ordinate everything perfectly ensuring proper
equipment for everyone. Seeing the topography from the vantage point of a
kayak was terrific. Thanks again for a great experience and hope to see
you on our next trip.
Written July 9, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Boots123
Boston71 contributions
Jul 2015 • Couples
I have done a few guided kayak trips before, and this one was really neat! The guide Stephanie was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic - one very unique aspect of this trip is that the guide brought along a camera to take pics of us which she sent us later via e-mail. I have never had a kayak outfitter do that before - very cool! The day was incredibly foggy which made it have a very surreal type paddle. Don't worry if you're a beginner - these guys know what they are doing, and they have a special launch dock that is fall out proof :) You won't regret this trip!
Written July 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rich365
Odenton, MD51 contributions
Aug 2022
Our whole experience with this outfitter was less than stellar. We called to make a reservation and were told by a gruff individual that they required 24 hours notice for a rental, and that they were not operational that day anyway, since there was a small craft advisory posted. When we asked if we could make a reservation for the following day, the same gruff individual stated that they were booked until 1pm. When we said that 1 pm would be fine with us, we were finally able to proceed. Not a good beginning.
When we arrived, we noted that the kayaks were well-worn with broken seats that could not be adjusted. We were finally given a tandem kayak with a rudder that was useless and paddles that were too large. The only high point was being away from this outfitter and on our own in the water.
We are veteran kayakers who actually know what we are doing. Unfortunately, this outfitter falls far short of what we would consider a quality operation.
When we arrived, we noted that the kayaks were well-worn with broken seats that could not be adjusted. We were finally given a tandem kayak with a rudder that was useless and paddles that were too large. The only high point was being away from this outfitter and on our own in the water.
We are veteran kayakers who actually know what we are doing. Unfortunately, this outfitter falls far short of what we would consider a quality operation.
Written August 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We hope this email finds you well. We recently came across your review regarding your sea kayak rental experience, and we wanted to reach out to you personally to address your concerns. At ECO, we take feedback seriously, and we deeply regret that your experience fell short of your expectations. We genuinely appreciate your honest feedback, as it helps us improve our services and ensure customer satisfaction.
First and foremost, we apologize for any inconvenience or frustration you experienced during your kayak rental. Our goal is to provide seamless and enjoyable experiences for all our customers, and it is disheartening to hear that we did not meet your expectations on this occasion.
Secondly, it is common policy that 24 hours notice or more is need for any reservation. Reservation allow us to organize the day so that we can be efficient in our services. Weather is of great concern to us as that affects the safety of our clients. The information that you were provided allows us to serve our clients to the best of our abilities.
We have recently corrected many of the defects in our kayaks. During COVID it was difficult to get parts to repair as well as purchase new ones. As for the paddles, we do not know how the paddles could have been to large for you in a double kayaks. Being a small business operating during a pandemic it was difficult to manage some aspect of the operation, but overall we believe we succeeded.
We wish that this was brought to our attention at the time rather then a negative review on-line. We do not wish for our customers to leave unsatisfied and we could have corrected this for right then and there. In the future, when you visit businesses like ours, please have the courtesy of letting them know up front if there is anything they can do to make your experience better. We believe you will find that you overall experience will be more satisfying and you will have made a positive impact on that business.
Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused, and we appreciate your understanding and patience. We take pride in our customer service, and we are committed to rectifying this situation to ensure that every customer has a positive experience with us.
Written May 17, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JML109
Halifax, Canada22 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
I am from Halifax and I have always wanted to do a sea kayaking tour with East Coast Outfitters. My mother and I finally went yesterday and we had a great time! We had a perfect day as there was very little wind, and it was warm but overcast. If there was too much sun, it would have been much more tiring. It was a good workout but still very relaxing.
We chose the half day (4 hour) tour, as we don't have a lot of kayaking experience. I am happy we went with the half day tour because it allowed us to visit a few different islands and our guide, Sawa (sp?), made sure we had enough breaks along the way. Our guide was great, she had a lot of information about the area and she took us to some really beautiful places. I have lived in Nova Scotia most of my life and I have done a few sailing tours out of Halifax, but being on the water in a kayak allows you to explore the coastline in a completely different way.
I would definitely recommend this tour to both tourists and locals. It takes about 40 minutes to drive out to Prospect from Halifax, but it's worth it!
We chose the half day (4 hour) tour, as we don't have a lot of kayaking experience. I am happy we went with the half day tour because it allowed us to visit a few different islands and our guide, Sawa (sp?), made sure we had enough breaks along the way. Our guide was great, she had a lot of information about the area and she took us to some really beautiful places. I have lived in Nova Scotia most of my life and I have done a few sailing tours out of Halifax, but being on the water in a kayak allows you to explore the coastline in a completely different way.
I would definitely recommend this tour to both tourists and locals. It takes about 40 minutes to drive out to Prospect from Halifax, but it's worth it!
Written July 12, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for coming. Sada had a great time as well. Hope to see you on the water soon.
-ECO
Written July 16, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tony S
Waverley, Canada26 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
My wife and I seen the tour company while walking the Halifax waterfront. The pricing was very reasonable compared to any other kayak tour we have seen/attended, and it was very nice to paddle along the Halifax waterfront and see all the patrons enjoying the local establishments on a warm summers eve. Our Guide Ed was very knowledgeable and gave pertinent facts of the city and waterfront, and had a very easy going manner, but still maintained a very professional attitude around the more junior or unexperienced kayakers, exuding an air of confidence, creating a very comfortable well being for all. The finale of the tour was rounding Georges Island and looking back at Halifax as the sun set, perfect ending before a leisurely paddle back to the docks. Very nice!!!
Written July 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey Guys! Thanks for the review, but you did not paddle with us but with Kayak Halifax in the Halifax Harbour.
We think the Halifax harbour is great, but next time you are in town come see us for a paddle. We gaurantee you will not regret it!
Written September 2, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
manitoulin_foodie_8
Manitoulin Island20 contributions
Oct 2015 • Family
When we decided that we would be taking a vacation to Nova Scotia, one of our 'must do' items was to go kayaking on the ocean. Our first idea was to kayak around the Bay of Fundy, but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate for us. We instead decided to book a trip with ECO, and are very glad we did.
The weather still did not cooperate fully, so we phoned ahead to ensure that the trip would still be going out, and they assured us that it would. It was drizzling, but we simply layered up with lots of wet gear and headed out. Our guide gave us each a bottle of water and a granola bar before heading out, and also packed a large and healthy snack for our half-way stop on an island. The guide was great at gauging our skill levels and moving at an appropriate pace. We did get into a bit of strong wind at one point, but she guided us through it well, briefly helping one member of the party with a tow line.
Overall, I would definitely recommend a voyage with ECO, and might even book another one for myself.
The weather still did not cooperate fully, so we phoned ahead to ensure that the trip would still be going out, and they assured us that it would. It was drizzling, but we simply layered up with lots of wet gear and headed out. Our guide gave us each a bottle of water and a granola bar before heading out, and also packed a large and healthy snack for our half-way stop on an island. The guide was great at gauging our skill levels and moving at an appropriate pace. We did get into a bit of strong wind at one point, but she guided us through it well, briefly helping one member of the party with a tow line.
Overall, I would definitely recommend a voyage with ECO, and might even book another one for myself.
Written October 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2014brenda
Halifax, Canada30 contributions
Aug 2015 • Friends
Lower Prospect is so beautiful! It is great to experience the view from the water. We joined the Friday evening group with quite a few others, but did not find it crowded on the water. Extra guides were with us. The sunset was spectacular! We saw a school or squad of squid, an eel, bald headed eagles , cormorants, sea gulls, etc. The paddling was easy with some instruction. Everyone was pleasant and helpful. The dock is so easy for getting into and out of the kayak. This is my first year here and I have been out twice! For a great time in nature, give this a try!
Written August 17, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debbi M
Emerald Park, Canada12 contributions
Sept 2014 • Couples
What an amazing way to spend the afternoon!! Our guide was very knowledgeable about the area and was fantastic to be on the water with. We are novice kayakers and she made the afternoon very fun. It was a windy day and she did a great job of finding little places for us to rest before tackling a windy section of the tour. Overall...an amazing afternoon. We'd definitely book with ECO again next time we're in the area.
Written September 26, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neil J
Wantage, UK37 contributions
Sept 2014 • Solo
On September 4th I was badly let down by Kayak Halifax who just failed to turn up. I rang ECO after 11.00am and managed to organise a 2 hour hire for that afternoon at 2.30pm. This company were very professional, had good equipment and could not have been more helpful. Highly Recommended.
Written September 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can i know the price and do i have to obtain license for this and also what is the address for this
Written July 18, 2021
What is the best way to get there from Halifax? We will not have a car, so was wondering if there were shuttles or public transportation. Thanks!
Written June 5, 2018
By car, shuttle or taxi. There is no public transportation out to us.
Written June 9, 2018
Do you do tours in mid-June? Also, can 2 adults and 1 child (380 lbs. total weight) share a kayak or is a 2 person boat the max capacity?
Written April 29, 2018
Hey! Thanks for your questions. We are open from May until October so we are in full swing with our tours in mid-June.
Only 2 people max in our double kayaks. Often families with one child will have the child in the front of the double with and parent in the back and the other parent in a single. Works out well.
Any other questions, please contact us any time: info@eastcoastoutfitters. com
Written April 30, 2018
Too cool in first half of April?
Sounds like a blast!
Cost please
Written March 4, 2016
sorry for the late reply...Yes you are correct, april is a bit cold and we open in may.
Cost varies...check our website for all tour and rental costs.
Cheers
Written July 13, 2016
Is there a minimum age or maximum weight? Can my 8 year old participate?
Written May 13, 2015
Not really a minimum age. As long as you feel comfortable with them going on the water either by themselves or in a double with you. Weight is also not an issue. Totally depends on their comfort level.
Written May 14, 2015
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