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What's the story here?

Southsea Marina sits in the southwest corner of Langstone Harbour, immediately within the entrance and on the Eastney Peninsula. It is owned and operated by Premier Marinas Limited, based in Hampshire, which owns and manages eight coastal marinas and boatyards in England.




The marina holds 30 visitor berths for leisure craft and motorboats up to 15–18 metres, though specific berth availability varies by vessel beam and displacement. The deepest central berths offer up to 2.4m to 2.5m of water LAT, while shallow edge berths drop to approximately 1.3m. The ½ mile long marina approach channel from Langstone Harbour is dredged to roughly 0.5m below Chart Datum (1.3m at MLWS). Vessels drawing 1.5m or more should avoid the approach channel within 2 hours either side of Low Water, and especially so on Springs.




The marina is accessed over a tidal gate or sill that automatically opens when it has 1.6 metres of water over it. This is usually at half-tide, which provides the marina with approximately 6 hours of access per tidal cycle. If you arrive outside the gate operating window or are waiting for sufficient water over the sill, there is a dedicated waiting pontoon located outside the marina entrance. The holding pontoon located just outside the tidal gate is dredged to 2.5m LAT.

Daily Visitor Berthing [2026]
Visitor Rates

• • 8.0m to 12.5m: £4.65 per metre


• • 12.6m – 16m: £4.90 per metre


• • 14.0m +: Price on application (POA)

Short Stay Berthing (Up to 4 hours)

• • All sizes: £1.48 per metre (8.0m minimum charge; excludes electricity)

16-amp shore power is included in the visitor berthing fee, with a standard complimentary electricity credit for each stay. Any excess usage is charged per unit. Visitor berths must be vacated by noon on your day of departure.




The marina can usually accommodate most visitors upon request, but it is best to contact them in advance of entering the channel. Southsea Marina can be reached on [VHF]: Channel 80 (Call sign [Southsea Marina]), +44 (0)23 9282 2719, and southsea@premiermarinas.com.

How to get in?

Langstone Harbour is entered between two flats locally known as The Woolseners, which extend from either side of the harbour's mouth. These are called the East Winner (off Portsea Island) and West Winner (off Hayling Island, significantly larger), and both run south-southeast from the entrance. The banks shift over time, and their height varies with the preceding winter's gales, and a moderately deep sandbar lies across the outer approach. Depths over the bar drop to around 1.2m at Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT). Within these is the harbour entrance (known locally as The Run), a narrow, highly dynamic tidal channel situated between Eastney Point (Portsea Island) to the west and Gunner Point (Hayling Island) to the east. The approaches to The Run, with its tide flow, are detailed in Navigating Langstone Harbour . Above The Run, the broad extent of Langstone Harbour opens out, and the half-mile-long marina approach channel commences from the west side.




From the initial fix, Southsea Marina's approach channel will be open immediately to the west. The channel commences about 100 metres to the northwest of the Hayling ferry pontoon. It is entered between port, Fl R, and starboard, Fl G, piles. Prepare for a cross set whilst passing in. Those making the best of an adverse tide, by hugging the western shoreline, should arc out on the approach and not cut straight to the port pile from the head of the Hayling Island ferry pontoon. By night, the Hayling Island ferry pontoon exhibits Fl.R 10s on either end.




Once in the channel, it is simply a matter of following the closely spaced marks. The channel circles around to port, but its ample marks make the path plain. There are six further starboard marks, two of which are buoys, and eight further port-hand markers marking the channel. None of the starboard markers is lit, but the 4th, Fl.R 3s, 6th, Fl.R 4s, and 9th, Fl.R 5s, port marks are.




The (outside the tidal cill) will be seen on the port-hand side of the channel. It has shore access and the fuel dock access at its head. Allows incoming boats to safely tie up, wait for the tide to rise to the required height, and walk ashore if waiting for a long window. Positioned immediately opposite is another Holding Pontoon used for short-term positioning right before crossing the sill, which does not have shore access.




When the sill is up, a red light is displayed on a post high up and to the left of the marina entrance. When the tide rises to 1.6 metres above the tidal gate, it automatically opens, and a green light will be displayed. Vessels with a draft of 1.6 metres or more should check the tide gauge at the entrance to see if there is sufficient water to cross the sill. The gauge here indicates the depth over the sill.




The marina entrance is a narrow 7 metres wide. When passing through the entrance, a vessel travelling with the tide and having reduced steerage has right of way over a vessel travelling in the opposite direction.





Berth as directed by the marina office. Pontoons are organised and lettered A through J, with 2.4 metres in its deeper berths, dropping to 1.3 metres around its edges.

Why visit here?

Southsea took its name from the Henrician Southsea Castle, built at the southern end of Portsea Island in 1544. At the time, England was politically isolated following King Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon. The resulting hostility between France and Spain fuelled fears of invasion, prompting Henry VIII to begin construction of the Device Forts to defend England's southern coast. The chain of artillery fortifications was financed by the proceeds of the dissolution of the monasteries and represented England's largest defence programme since Saxon times.




Southsea Castle was built to guard the eastern entrance to the Solent and the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour, and it was much needed. On 19 July 1545, from very near this location, Henry VIII watched his prized ship Mary Rose sink. She was leading an attack on the galleys of a French invasion fleet when she sank north of the Isle of Wight.




Fortunately, Southsea was to be a placid place and emerged as a popular Victorian seaside resort during the 19th century, shaped by the era's enthusiasm for coastal leisure and healthful sea air. Although located within a mile of Portsmouth's harbour focal point and to the east of Old Portsmouth, Southsea grew into a dense residential suburb and a large, distinctive commercial and entertainment area, separate from Portsmouth itself.




Its development was driven by expanding transport links and the growing middle class, who were drawn to its promenades, piers, and ornamental gardens. Elegant terraces, hotels, and recreational facilities were built to accommodate visitors, giving Southsea a distinctive character that blended leisure, architecture, and seaside charm. This period of rapid growth established the foundations of Southsea's identity as a vibrant and attractive coastal destination that continues to influence its appeal today.




Having taken its name from Southsea Castle, the area would also take on its distinct strategic identity with the construction of its own fort in 1747. Named after the Duke of Cumberland after construction began, it was originally built as an earthwork fortification to guard Langstone Harbour to prevent landward attacks on the Royal Navy Dockyard. The fort was completely rebuilt in masonry between 1785 and 1812, and extensively developed again in the 1860s as part of the Palmerston Forts.




During the Second World War, Langstone Harbour and its surrounding areas were transformed into a hive of military activity, playing a crucial, if often secret, role in Britain's defence and the eventual liberation of Europe. The harbour's strategic position next to Portsmouth made it a target, but it was also a vital staging ground. Defensive measures were critical: in August 1940, Fort Cumberland sustained a major bombing attack, receiving 78 bombs from the Luftwaffe. To protect the naval base from such attacks, 'QF' bombing decoys were established on the harbour's islands and marshes, including a site at Round Nap that was operational by 1941, designed to light controlled fires and misdirect enemy bombers away from Portsmouth Harbour.




Concurrently, Langstone Harbour was a centre for offensive and logistical preparation. The shallow waters and beaches were used for vital training exercises. The Royal Marines developed their techniques for amphibious landings at Langstone during the interwar period, and this expertise was put to use preparing for D-Day, with the harbour's beaches serving as a rehearsal site for the Normandy landings. Furthermore, the harbour was a key location for the construction of the top-secret Mulberry Harbours; the massive concrete Phoenix caissons that would form the breakwaters off the Normandy coast were built along its quaysides.




Today, Southsea has a thriving commercial area that includes two national department stores, well-known high-street chains, and numerous independent traders. Southsea Castle is now managed by Portsmouth City Council. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is free to visit. Miraculously, the view it provided of the sinking Mary Rose was not the last time the ship was to be seen, as its remains were discovered and are now on display at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.




Fort Cumberland is widely regarded as the finest surviving example of a pentagonal bastioned fort in England, masterfully combining low, angular earthworks with powerful gun positions. The dramatic ramparts, expansive parade ground, and historic barracks of Fort Cumberland offer visitors a vivid insight into the layered military history of Portsmouth and Southsea. Likewise, one of the immense Phoenix caisson structures, which developed a fault, was abandoned and can still be seen in the harbour today.




A short walk from the castle is The D-Day Story and Overlord Embroidery. These tell the story of Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy on June 6th 1944. The remarkable Overlord Embroidery is one of the longest works of its kind in the world. The embroidery comprises 34 panels and measures 83 metres (272 feet) in length. It took twenty embroiderers five years to create. The finished embroidery tells the D-Day story from well before the invasion through to when the German troops retreated across the Seine.




From a sailing perspective, Southsea Marina offers a friendly working marina that is an ideal berth for exploring Langstone Harbour, the Solent, and Chichester Harbour to the east. Ashore, by bus, taxi, or a stalwart walk, is the seaside town of Southsea and the city of Portsmouth beyond.




It is also a great option for those who initially intended to anchor but found the large body of water uncomfortable. Although access is controlled by a tidal gate, most vessels have unrestricted access for three hours either side of high water. The walk ashore from the waiting pontoon significantly extends shore access.

What facilities are available?

The pontoons provide power and water. All domestic requirements up to and including WiFi can be found within the marina. The launderette is opposite the entrance to 'G' pontoon, where token-operated washing and drying machines are available. Diesel and unleaded petrol are available at the fuel bay, located on the head of the outer waiting pontoon. The fuel dock is open 0800-2000 in the summer, and 0800–1800 in the winter, and vessels should contact the marina in advance of coming into the fuel bay. Gas cylinders are also available at the Marina Reception as well as a postal collection point. The marina provides general waste disposal and full recycling facilities. Arrangements can be made for the disposal of waste oil.

Southsea Marina has a fully serviced boatyard. It has a 25 tonne hoist, a 10 tonne mobile crane and a 15 tonne Roodberg boat mover. There is a chandlery on site and a wide range of specialist services, from rigging services to marine electronics, GRP repairs, cosmetic work, and engineering.

There is a bar and cafe as well as a restaurant overlooking the marina. Eastney Convenience Store is ten minutes' walk away and is open seven days a week, 6 am to 7 pm (5 pm Sundays). There is a cashpoint in the store. The local shops in Milton, a 20-minute walk away, include a supermarket, bank, chemist and post office.

Portsmouth and Southsea is the nearest main line station with regular trains to Chichester, London and Southampton. Fratton is the nearest station, about a 40-minute walk away. Buses run from the marina to Southsea that connect to Portsmouth. National Express runs regular services from London, Winchester and many other cities to Portsmouth. Southampton International Airport at Eastleigh is around 20 miles away.

Dining ashore onsite options include the Marina Bar & Café, +44 (0)23 9282 9999, for casual drinks/meals and Bombay Bay, +44 (0)23 9281 6066 | info@bombay-bay.co.uk, a popular Indian restaurant overlooking the marina.



Other Usefull Numbers
Southsea Marina: [VHF]: Channel 80 (Call sign [Southsea Marina]) | +44 (0)23 9282 2719
Langstone Harbour Master Office: [VHF]: Channel 12, listen on Ch. 16 (Call sign [Langstone Harbour Radio]) | +44 (0)23 9246 3419
Itchenor Harbour Office: [VHF]: Channel 14 | +44 (0)1243 512301
Chichester Harbour Radio: [VHF]: Channel 14 (or contact patrol vessels directly, Call sign [Chichester Harbour Patrol])
Hayling Rescue (for boats): +44 (0)7748 997105
Sea Start: +44 (0)800 885500
Environment Agency: +44 (0)3708 506506
HM Custom and Excise Portsmouth: +44 (0)23 8079 7000
Tourist Office: +44 (0)23 9282 6722
Hampshire Police Control Room: +44 (0)8450 454545
Hayling Island Health Centre: +44 (0)23 9246 6221
Queen Alexandra & St. Mary’s Hospitals: +44 (0)23 9228 6000
Eastney Health Centre: +44 (0)23 9275 0010
Dentist: +44 (0)23 9273 2047
Out of Hours Dentistry: +44 (0)23 9228 6146

Any security concerns?

The marina is a secured facility with access to walkways, shower/ toilet and pontoon
blocks all controlled by key fobs. CCTV cameras are in operation and monitored 24 hours a day. There are also regular security patrols.

With thanks to:

Will Tremlett, Berthing Master and Luke Stringer, Duty Manager, Southsea Marina.