Shepards Wharf is located off the south coast of England within The Solent and in the centre of the Isle of Wight's principal port of Cowes. It is a medium-sized marina with the vast majority of its berths made available to cater for the thousands of visitors that come to the town, which is the centre of UK sailing.

The marina now offers complete protection after the installation of a new breakwater that protects the inner harbour from northerly swell. However, berths on the outer pontoon are subject to the wash from the constant comings and goings of the busy fairway. Safe access may be had in all reasonable conditions, day or night and at all tide stages.

A few minutes walk from the town centre, the marina gets overrun during events when advance booking is essential.

Keyfacts for Cowes Harbour Shepards Marina

Position and approaches

Haven position

50° 45.582' N, 001° 17.564' W

This is at the southern end of the outer river side pontoon, by the entrance.

What are the key points of the approach?

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What's the story here?

Shepards Wharf is located in the middle of the Isle of Wight's principal port of Cowes. The town stands on both sides of the entrance to the River Medina, and Cowes is located on the west bank, facing the much smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. Shepards Wharf is the second and smaller of the two marinas fronting the town of Cowes. As the town experiences 30,000 boat visitors a year, 130 of its 170 possible berths are made available to visitors.




Shepards Marina is situated within the inner fairway close south of Cowes Yacht Haven and just over a ½ mile within the No. 1 and No. 2 buoys. At night, the marina exhibits lights on columns, both 2 F.G (vert), at either end of its outer and long northern pontoon and on the southern end of its shorter southern pontoon.

Positioned on the starboard side of the river, the marina comprises a single basin with depths of 2.0 metres available throughout, within, and off the riverside face of the southern pontoon. Depths of 3.0 metres are available off the riverside face of the long northern pontoon.



Berths cost £3·10 per metre, per day (£3·50 Fri/Sat) +£3·80 for power [2025]. At busy times, vessels should expect to raft up. This is especially the case with river-facing pontoons. These are the least desirable berths, as they are subject to washing from the very busy Inner Fairway. At night, there is also continuous berthing/exiting and loading/unloading of the Ro-Ro Ferry immediately opposite.

It is advisable to contact the marina in advance and make arrangements regarding an intended stay +44 1983 297821, shepards.chc@cowes.co.uk, Ch. 80 call sign [Shepards Wharf]. During large-scale sailing events, such as Cowes Week, Round the Island Race, and various other regattas, visitors should expect tariffs to increase as the demand for the marina tends to increase. During these times, it is essential to book well in advance to secure a berth.

How to get in?

The guide for Cowes and the River Medina offers a tide timer and sailing directions for the approach and journey up the river to Newtown.

Those approaching Cowes and the River Medina from the west will find that the guide Western Approaches to The Solent and the run-up to Southampton details the methods for entry via The Needles, the Western Solent, including its eastern shorelines to the north and south, and onward to connect with this guide from the west.

Similarly, Eastern Approaches to The Solent and the run-up to Southampton Water describes approaches to the Eastern Solent, the eastern side of the Isle of Wight, and the northeastern coastline, covering the east Solent waters and their shorelines to the north and south, and onward to connect with this guide from the east.




Berth as instructed by the Shepards Marina office. All outer berths are designated for visitors, while resident berths and the dry sailing basin fill the inner berths.

Why visit here?

The town of Cowes is fully introduced in the Cowes Harbour entry. Its two marinas, Shepards Wharf and Cowes Yacht Haven, situated in the heart of the sailing location that receives 30,000 boat visitors a year, are amongst the most visited berths in the UK.

Shepards Wharf is the second marina within the fairway and the smaller of the town's two marinas. This marina is a more family-friendly destination for cruisers rather than the large-scale corporate event-focused Cowes Yacht Haven. Its short-stay visitor berths are more competitively priced, even though it is only about two minutes from the town centre and its pleasant walkway.

The marina also offers discounts of up to 10% to small organised rallies of six or more vessels and makes space available on the pier for barbecues and picnics. During Cowes Week, Shepards Marina participates in onshore events, hosting live entertainment within its premises and Cowes Yacht Haven. These venues are open to the general public, visiting yachters, and the racing community.

From a sailing perspective, Shepards Wharf and Cowes Yacht Haven provide walk-ashore access to the centre of Cowes and are ideal gateways to the island. They also offer very convenient 'drop-in' locations should a problem emerge on a vessel that needs to be quickly attended to or for excellent provisioning.

What facilities are available?

Trinity Landing and Shepards Wharf Marina pontoons are fully serviced with water and power, and the marina provides its visitors with showers, toilets and free wireless broadband internet access. Whitegates River Pontoons do not offer any services or walk-ashore capability. The marina provides access to a holding tank pump-out facility and waste & recycling facilities. Boaters are encouraged to use the free pump-out at Shepards Marina, which is available year-round. The pump-out berth is located on the south pontoon at Shepards. Call the marina in advance on VHF Ch. 80, and the Berthing Master will gladly help.




Petrol and diesel are available from Lallow's Boatyard, between Cowes Yacht Haven and Shepards Wharf or more conveniently at Cowes Harbour Fuels, +44 1983 200716, Website with prices , 200 metres south of the chain ferry on the west side of the River Medina. It supplies commercial and leisure users with marine fuels, gas, and lubricating oils. An automatic declaration facility is available.

The Town Quay has scrubbing berths next to the Harbour Office, and there is a slipway between the Wharf and Shepards Wharf Marina. Cowes, as a whole, offers almost any conceivable marine services or facility a vessel could require. There is little in the marine world that can either be repaired or rebuilt from first principles in Cowes. Having a population in excess of 10,000, it is also an excellent location for provisioning.

In transport terms, Cowes is a gateway town for the Isle of Wight, providing berths to two ferry services. Southern Vectis Route 1 is the main bus service in Cowes. Single-decker buses branded Red 1 serve the Red Jet terminal, whilst route one double-decker serve the M&S Foodhall at Carvel Lane, where the old Cowes railway station was situated. Both run to Newport to take travellers on to other island destinations. The Cowes Chain Ferry, locally known as the Floating Bridge, connects the two towns of Cowes and East Cowes throughout the day. The old and discontinued rail link to and from the island's capital of Newport is now maintained as a cycle path.

Any security concerns?

The area has site-wide CCTV coverage, and there has never been an issue known to have occurred to a vessel moored at Shepards Wharf.

With thanks to:

Michael Harpur S/Y Whistler.