Kayaks on Oxen Pond | Botanical Garden | Memorial University of Newfoundland

Rent our Kayaks!

All of our kayaking times are weather permitting. Kayaking can happen during drizzle or rain, but we cancel for fog/limited visibility, high winds, and thunderstorms and water temperatures lower than 10C. Call ahead if you're unsure of the conditions - 709-864-8590

Single kayaks can be rented for $10/hr and tandems (2-person boat) can be rented for $15/hr. General admission, pass holder discounts, and taxes apply.

FALL 2026 Schedule

Kayaking will be closed for the season after Sunday, September 27th, 2026

Weekend Reservations or Drop-in*:

10:00 am - 11:00 am
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

*Please check-in at least 30 minutes before your timeslot at the main desk.

Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays - by reservation only:

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Please fill out our online reservation request form:

Day	Request Form
Saturday	September 26, 2026
Sunday	September 27, 2026

Groups MUST email bgprograms@mun.ca to book. Weekend bookings can only be held during the 10-11am timeslot.

PLEASE Read our Q&A Below

Visit Procedures

Please check in at the desk at least 30 mins before the time you want to book your timeslot. Individual rentals will not be reserved in advance just in case we need to shut down rentals for the day due to weather. All rentals, unless otherwise booked as a group or 20+ people, must be done in person.

When you check-in:
- You will sign a waiver
- Pay for your admission (if applicable)
- Pay for your rental

If you arrive early you can use the time to wander our gardens and trails. You must then head to the pond edge 10 minutes before your booking time, to get geared up with our equipment and safety gear, and receive some basic instruction. Individuals who are not at the pond on time, may have a shortened rental time or forfeit their rental spot, and may only rebook if there are open time-slots later in the day. Kayak rental fees are non-refundable unless we cancel due to safety.

Groups of 20 or more may email bgprograms@mun.ca to book.

Kayaking Q & A:

Rentals

1. Can I book a timeslot?
At this time we are only offering bookings during the Fall, or for groups of 20 or more people. During the summer there are many variables as to why we might cancel (i.e. weather, which can change by the minute), and we don't want visitors who are no-shows reserving boats that could be used by people who are on-site. We may offer bookings in the future if we have a more robust online system.

2. When is the best time to guarantee availability?
In 2026 when we started with daily bookings the most popular times were weekends from lunch to close and Thursday evenings. But, this all depends on the weather of course. Sunny, hot days bring out more people. So, if you are a group of 2-3 families, or ~10 friends it is best to come first thing on weekend mornings, or weekday afternoons if that works in your schedule.

3. Can I share my timeslot?
Yes! For example: If person "A" would like to kayak for only 30 minutes, they can come back to shore early and allow person "B" to use the remaining 30 minutes. Each person will need to fill out their own waiver, and participate in the safety and instructional training at the beginning of the rental timeslot. Only 1 "person" would need to pay for the 1hr rental, but both people would need to pay admission to the Garden.

4. Can I book for more than 1 hour?
We offer 1 hour bookings because we have found this is the most suitable timeframe for our size pond. Beginners sometimes don't stay out for the full hour as they start to get sore using muscles that don't usually get used. More experienced paddlers usually find they have seen all there is to see and do on the pond after the hour. If you hit the jackpot with weather and get a warm, sunny afternoon/evening, and are feeling the zen of being on the water, there might be a line up of people who are also eager to get out, so we want to be able to share that experience with as many people as possible. If you complete your hour and really want to get back out, you can check in with the front desk again to book another hour if it is available.

5. Do I have to pay admission to the Garden as well as the rental fee for kayaking?
Yes please. We think we have a really special spot: Our 10 acre cultivated gardens and 100 acres of natural landscape with 5Km of trails has been operating since 1971. We take pride in this amazing slice of nature that is only 5 minutes away from the largest mall in the province, and we think you should spend time to enjoy the Garden while you are here. We have costs for upkeep and staffing and our admission fees help to cover this. Season Pass Holders and MUN Students get in for free. As well, we offer Admission by Donation days on the first Wednesday of the month, and have passes available through the NL Public Libraries Connect Pass program.

Preparations

6. Do I need to bring anything?
We provide all the safety gear and supplies you need, but coming in clothing that dries quickly will be most comfortable.
We provide: The kayaks, a paddle, a PFD, a whistle, and a bailer; You should bring: quick dry clothing, crocs/water shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat if you like. It will also be good to have a towel, change of clothes, and walking shoes (to get to and from the pond).

7. What age people can go out in the kayaks?
All children must be able to follow instructions and stay sitting at all times. All youth under 18 need supervision and a waiver signed by their adult. Their adult must remain present either on the shore or in their own kayak for the entirety of the experience. Aged 9+ may use a single kayak by themselves. Children aged 5-8 must be in a tandem with an adult. We cannot have children in the laps of their adults during the operation of the kayak, therefore children under 5 are not allowed at this time.

8. What size lifejackets/PFDs do you have?
We have from child to XXXL PFDs. A PFD, or Personal Flotation Device, is different from a lifejacket as it is more comfortable to wear during activities, but assumes the wearer can control their body to keep their face out of the water. Our inventory includes:
Child PFD: For a child who weighs between 33-55lbs (15-25kgs)
Youth PFD: For a youth who weighs between 55-88lbs (25-40kgs)
Adult Small PFD: For a youth or an adult who weighs more than 90lbs/41kg (Chest 33-37in/84-94cm)
Adult Medium PFD: For a youth or an adult who weighs more than 90lbs/41kg (Chest 37-41in/94-104cm)
Adult Large PFD: For a youth or an adult who weighs more than 90lbs/41kg (Chest 41-45in/104-114cm)
Adult XL PFD: For a youth or an adult who weighs more than 90lbs/41kg (Chest 45-49in/114-124cm)
Adult XXL/XXXL PFD: For a youth or an adult who weighs more than 90lbs/41kg (Chest 50-60in/127-152cm)

If you choose to bring your own PFD, it MUST be Transport Canada approved

9. What is the weight limit of your kayaks?
Single person kayaks:
- Total weight limit of 250lbs/113kg
- For one person, under the weight limit
- 26 available (total on the water depends on the number of staff we have available)

Tandem kayaks:
- Total weight limit of 500lbs/226kg
- For 1 paddler and a child or two paddlers, under the weight limit
- 4 available

10. Will there be a safe place to store my valuables?
We recommend leaving most of your valuables at home, but items like a phone or car keys can be stored in a compartment in your boat. Large items (a purse or bag) can be left at our visitor services desk in the Field Centre. There is a possibility of the items in the compartment getting wet, but it is designed to prevent anything from falling out if the boat were to tip.

On the Water

11. Will I get wet?
You will likely get a little wet at minimum, but could get fully wet if you fall in. It is good to bring a change of clothes just in case. We don't have spray skits (a protective cover which prevents water from getting inside the boat and holds the paddler in). Our recreational kayaks are the "sit-in" style but have a large opening. This makes it safer for beginners as they will fall out of the boat if it were to tip.

12. Will I tip?
It's highly unlikely. If the weather is too windy we won't have kayaking open that day. Our boats are wide and designed to be hard to tip. The staff, campers and boaters who have tipped before were either goofing around (playing games or being careless) or were close to or exceeded our boat's weight limit (see #9 above).

13. What happens if I tip?
Your properly worn PFD will keep you afloat. We always have shore supervision staff during the rental period. They are trained to watch for any issues and will come to your rescue. They may help you get back into your boat or may tow you to shore if that is preferred.

14. What happens if I drop something in the pond?

Unfortunately, the bottom of our pond is uneven rocks and covered in mud and living or decomposing plant life. We advise not bringing anything along that you would be quite upset to lose. Our staff have lost tools and other small items, and some visitors have lost phones and glasses. We do our best to recover what we can, but it is like a needle in a haystack.

I have more questions!

Please email us at garden@mun.ca and we will do our best to get back to you!

Kayaking in 2027

All of our kayaking times are weather permitting. Kayaking can happen during drizzle or rain, but we cancel for fog/limited visibility, high winds, thunderstorms and water temperatures consistently lower than 15C. Call ahead if you're unsure of the conditions - 709-864-8590

Kayaks can be rented for 1hr. The cost to participate is:

$10/person for ages 9+
$5/child for ages 5 - 8 when renting a tandem (2-person boat) with an adult.

General admission to the Garden, pass holder discounts, and taxes apply.

Summer Schedule

In July and August 2027 we are hoping to return to our summer schedule:

Rentals will be available DAILY! If the weather permits we will be open for the season in June.

Monday - Friday
12:30 - 1:30pm
2:00 - 3:00pm
3:30 - 4:30pm

Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays
9:30 - 10:30am
11:00am - 12:00pm
12:30 - 1:30pm
2:00 - 3:00pm
3:30 - 4:30pm

Thursdays in July & August we will have kayaking again during our Twilight Thursdays:
12:30 - 1:30pm
2:00 - 3:00pm
3:30 - 4:30pm
5:00 - 6:00pm
6:30 - 7:30pm

Summer Kayaking will be available until Tuesday, September 7th, 2027; After which, we will be on our Fall schedule to match the Garden's Fall Hours.

Fall 2027 Schedule - Tentative

Kayaking will be available Wednesday to Sunday, depending on the weather. We will shut down for the season when water temperatures are consistently below 15C. in 2026 our season ran until September 27th.