Town Quay Marina is located on the south coast of England, at the head of Southampton Water and in the centre of Southampton. It is a modern, secure city-centre marina offering direct access to the city.
Situated within the Solent and at the head of Southampton Water, the marina provides complete protection. It can be safely accessed at any time, day or night, regardless of the tide or weather conditions.

Town Quay sits within the operational heart of Southampton Docks, and the marina is alongside the berths of highly active ferry services that shuttle back and forth to the Isle of Wight and Hythe. Expect constant large ship movements on any approach.

Keyfacts for Town Quay

Position and approaches

Haven position

50° 53.642' N, 001° 24.238' W

This is at the entrance and the head of the south-eastern wave-break. At night, it shows a light 2FG [vert].

What is the initial fix?

This is close to the head of the Ocean Docks, ensuring the approach remains clear of ferry traffic.

What are the key points of the approach?

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What's the story here?

Town Quay lies on the northeast shore of the River Test, which is entered from the northwestern side of Southampton Water. The historic quay is at the heart of Southampton City's waterfront. It is an active commercial quay that provides ferry services to the Isle of Wight and across the water to Hythe. The marina is operated by Associated British Ports and is sited at the foot of the quay and is one of five marinas that the large port city offers to leisure craft.

Town Quay has 136 berths and can accommodate yachts of up to 19 metres in length, 2.7 metres in draught and a beam of up to 5.5 metres. Southampton Water provides a maintained depth of not less than 13.2 metres chart datum up to the Town Quay, and there is at least 2.5 metres up to and inside Town Quay Marina.




Town Quay Walk Ashore Finger Berths [Summer 2025]:

• • Overnight (excluding Fri & Sat): £4.50 per meter


• • Overnight (Fri & Sat from June 1 - Aug 31): £5.10 per meter


• • Short Stay (max 4 hours): £2.15 per meter


• • 7 Night Special: £24.80 per meter

Town Quay Walk Ashore Pontoon alongside and rafting berths have marginally reduced fees from the above-listed. Rates are charged per metre or part thereof, rounded up to the next whole metre. Electricity connection is available on Town Quay and Dan Bran pontoons and is subject to availability. Proof of insurance is required. Registered charities and sailing schools receive a 10% discount during the summer. Set-downs are available with a donation to their preferred charity box.





Dedicated leisure berths are limited at Town Quay Marina. It is small and mainly supports commercial vessels. Therefore, it is advisable to book a berth in advance by contacting the marina on Ch. 80 [Town Quay], +44 (0)23 8023 4397, info@townquay.com, or through their web form . The Marina Reception operates 24 hours, and the berthing officer is also reachable via +44 (0)7764 29 35 88. The staff will be happy to assist vessels entering or leaving a berth.

How to get in?

Coastal guidance waypoints and pilotage for the run-up to the River Itchen, along with river guidance, are available in the Western Approaches or the Eastern Approaches to the Solent and Southampton. Vessels approaching Dock Head should encounter no local hazards if they follow the clear marks of the Solent and Southampton Water, ideally staying close to the inner navigable waters within them and maintaining reasonable soundings to avoid commercial shipping.




Yachts navigating the six-mile stretch of Southampton Water should keep a listening watch for Southampton Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), available via Ch. 12/16 [Southampton VTS], +44 (0)23 8060 8208 (24/7/365). Yield priority to commercial vessels, particularly near the docks. A speed limit of 6 knots is enforced north of a line connecting Hythe Pier and Weston Shelf.




Break off from the above Solent guides and pass Dock Head to starboard, where the rivers Test and Itchen meet. Continue up the River Test by passing Dock Head to starboard. The River Test is dredged to 13.2 metres as far as the turning circle just north of Marchwood Yacht Club and 12.6 metres as far as the swinging ground at the top end of the container berths, one mile further. Beyond this point, the river shoals rapidly and dries up to Eling Channel and the well-sheltered Eling basin.




Proceed upriver past Ocean Dock, the cruise liner dock, to the marina, located on the starboard side of the river ¾ of a mile above Dock Head, near the city centre. By this point, if not already attended to, you should contact the marina on Ch. 80 [Town Quay] for berthing instructions.




The helm should stay alert for ferry and ship movements in this area. This final leg crosses the lower swinging ground of the Ocean Terminal and is shared with the Fast Cat and Hythe ferry services. These passenger vessels often shuttle back and forth to the Isle of Wight and Hythe from berths just outside the marina's entrance, meaning all vessels will be converging at the same point.




The initial fix is near the head of the Ocean Docks, establishing a shoreline approach that passes the old BOAC pontoon supports to starboard and then continues to the entrance of the marina.




The entrance is reached through a dogleg between two floating wave-breaks that appear continuous from seaward.



Two large blue signs with arrows, displaying 'VHF Channel 80' at the foot of the inner wave-break and 'Town Quay Marina' near the head of the outer breakwater and entrance, make the wave breaks and opening clearly visible.




At night, the ends of the wave-breaks are marked by lights: the inner north-western 2FR [vert] and the outer south-eastern 2FG [vert]. Be prepared for a 180° turn to enter from this shoreline approach.

Berth as directed by the marina office. The area behind the inner Wave Break is the marina's primary service and operational zone, and is typically used by visiting boats.

Why visit here?

Southampton is the largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire. Both the city and the county derive their names from the most common elements in old English place names: hám, hamm, and tún. In the earliest Anglo-Saxon period, a place called hám meant 'homestead', and as these settlements developed over time, the expression came to describe a village, manor, or estate. A derivative hamm referred to an estate on a flat piece of land, either in the bend of a river or on a promontory. The word tún referred initially to an enclosure and eventually came to mean 'farmstead', later evolving to the word for 'town' used today. It is the latter two elements that form the origins of Southampton, recorded as Homtun in 825, Suthhamtunam in 962, and Hantone in the 1086 Doomsday Book.



Ideally situated at the head of Southampton Water and hemmed in between the rivers Test and Itchen, Homtun, comprising hamm and tún, perfectly describes its situation in Old English. The 'south' prefix appeared in its name by 962 to distinguish it from Northampton, although the origins of the two names are different. It is from Southampton that the ceremonial county of Hampshire received its name. The name Hampshire came from Hamtunshire, which was itself made up of Hamtun plus scire, the formative element of 'shire' added around the tenth century. It was also archaically known as the County of Southampton.




Southampton's history of human inhabitation dates back to the Stone Age, supported by numerous archaeological finds. After the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43, the significant Roman settlement of Clausentum was established on the east bank of the Itchen, where the suburb of Bitterne is located today. Here, inscribed stones, coins, pottery, and many millstones have been discovered. Protected by a wall and two ditches and believed to have contained a bathhouse, the Clausentum settlement was not abandoned until around 410.




The Anglo-Saxons established the larger Hamwick settlement across the Itchen in what is now the St Mary's area of the city. With an estimated population of 4,000–5,000, it was very large for a Saxon town and served as an important port. The Danish invasions began around 840, prompting the development of the modern Southampton, Suhampton, which gradually replaced the Saxon town of Hamwick as well as the former Roman settlement. The new site was chosen for its stronger position and better facilities for trade, but it was initially much smaller than the old Anglo-Saxon town. At the time of Domesday in 1086, it may have had about 1,000 residents. Nevertheless, the Witan, the Saxon parliament, declared Canute king of England at Southampton, and the new 10th-century fortified settlement built around it went on to form the nucleus of medieval Southampton.




Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, Southampton grew to become a major port of transit between the then capital of England and Normandy. It was a royal borough before 1086, and a charter of Henry II in 1154-5 declared that the men of Southampton shall hold their gild liberties and customs as in the time of Henry I. The Normans built a wooden castle in Southampton, and in the 12th century, Southampton Castle was rebuilt in stone. In medieval times, Southampton owed its importance to being the chief port of Winchester. It had a large import and export trade, and in the 13th century, it was the second wine port in England. Wool was a significant export, and the fact that it was brought to Southampton to be shipped probably led to the establishment of the woollen trade in the west of England.




The town was sacked in 1338 by French, Genoese, and Sicilian ships led by Charles Grimaldi. It is said that he used the plunder to help found the principality of Monaco. After this, Edward III ordered that walls be built to 'close the town'. The work continued for decades, and the cost of the new fortifications was enormous, placing a significant burden on the town. However, trade with Genoa and Venice for English wool and cloth, in exchange for luxuries such as spices, perfume, and silk, as well as cargoes of alum and woad used to dye wool, ensured prosperity. Similarly, the 'Hundred Years War', which persisted from the mid-14th century to the mid-15th century, initiated a shipbuilding industry off West Quay that became a vital part of the town. During this period, several naval vessels were constructed here, including Henry V's famous warship HMS Grace Dieu. She was built in 1418 in a dock specially constructed in 1411 for that purpose, which is today known as Town Quay. Alongside this, many craftsmen such as carpenters, blacksmiths, potters, leather workers, and thatchers produced a wide range of goods in the town. By the end of this period, Southampton ranked third among the kingdom's ports, behind London and Bristol. However, by then, the port had reached the peak of its first high water and was headed for decline.




Southampton's gradual decline in trade during the 16th and 17th centuries occurred for several reasons. The rise of London as a port, the ban on the export of wool, the loss of the Winchester market following the suppression of monastic institutions, and the withdrawal of the court were among the main factors. However, the port was most notably known as the departure point for the Pilgrim Fathers in 1620 to North America aboard the Mayflower and the smaller Speedwell. The Speedwell, initially built in Southampton, had arrived from Holland to meet the Mayflower before crossing together. However, she was leaky, some say deliberately sabotaged, and was forced into Dartmouth and Plymouth for repairs. There, she was deemed too unreliable to attempt the crossing, and her personnel and stores were transferred to the Mayflower, which completed the journey alone.




By the 18th century, Southampton was better known as a fashionable spa town and sea-bathing resort than as a port. However, during the Victorian era, Southampton experienced a second rise and gained modern significance as a port. This began with the creation of a pier and harbour commission in 1803 and the construction of the Royal Pier, also called the Royal Victoria Pier. This was Southampton's first jetty or pier, opened by Princess, later Queen, Victoria in 1833. It operated steamers travelling to the Channel Islands, Le Havre, and the Isle of Wight. The Southampton Docks Company was established in 1835, and in 1838, the foundation stone of Southampton Docks was laid, with the first dock, the 'Outer Dock,' opening in 1842. A horse-drawn tram was introduced in 1847 to convey passengers to the Terminus Station, and in 1851, an enclosed, non-tidal 'Inner Dock' connected to the 'Outer Dock' by locks; both are now the location of the current 'Ocean Village'. In 1871, this was extended to the end of the pier and later converted into a light railway, which operated up until World War I. Once the railway arrived, continental steamers moved to the 'Outer Dock.'




The structural and economic development of the docks continued over the following decades. Although the harbour is considered one of the finest natural harbours in the UK, thanks to its unique double high tide, its current prosperity primarily dates from the opening of railway links to London in 1840. The combination of the railway infrastructure and new dockyards earned Southampton the title of 'The Gateway to the Empire', and the town experienced significant expansion during the zenith of the Empire in the Victorian era.




The origins of its modern cruise liners date back to the late 19th century when Southampton became the main port for transatlantic passenger services. Most notable among these was the RMS Titanic, which departed from Southampton in 1912. Four out of five crew members on board the vessel were Sotonians, as the residents of the city are called, with about a third of those who perished in the tragedy coming from the city. During World War I, over 2,000 men from Southampton lost their lives. More than 8 million men passed through the port en route to the war front.




From as early as 1913, flying boats were manufactured in Southampton. After the war, from 1919, a flying boat mail and passenger service started from Southampton's Royal Pier to the Channel Islands, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, and the Isle of Wight. At that time, suitable runways for large aircraft were rare, and aeroplane engines were less reliable.



In the event of engine trouble, passengers and crew were safer over water in a marine hull rather than in a craft with wheels and a lightweight frame. In 1938, Southampton docks also became the base for Imperial Airways' flying boats. From this company, the Supermarine Spitfire was designed and developed in Southampton. It evolved from the Schneider Trophy-winning seaplanes of the 1920s and 1930s. Passenger traffic surged in the 1930s, with as many as 75,000 people passing through Southampton in 1933.




World War II brought widespread destruction to the city. As a major commercial port and industrial hub, it was explicitly targeted by the Luftwaffe. It remained a bombing target until as late as 1944 because, after D-Day and the invasion of Europe, Southampton docks managed the military supply chain. During these five years of bombing, 630 people lost their lives, over 2,000 were injured, 4,000 homes were destroyed, and 11,000 buildings were seriously damaged in the city.




However, after the war and before the advent of jet travel, Southampton quickly resumed its role as Britain's gateway to the world. The flying boats recommenced and operated until 1958. The piles to the starboard, visible when entering Town Quay marina, are remnants of the supports for the pontoons of the BOAC flying boats. The world's first hovercraft flight took place in Southampton in 1959, and in 1962, a hovercraft service was launched to the Isle of Wight. In 1961, car ferries to France began running, and Southampton became Britain's leading passenger port in the 1950s and 1960s. Half a million passengers passed through the port in 1962, alongside 4% of the cargoes imported into Britain. Southampton was made a city in 1964, and the Container Terminals first opened in 1968 and have continued to expand.




As air travel became common in the 1960s, and the number of passengers travelling through the port declined, Southampton once again adapted. In the 1980s and 1990s, some of the old docks were transformed into areas of shops, offices, and marinas. New shopping centres such as the Bargate in 1989, the Marlands in 1991, and West Quay in 2000 were built. Today, Southampton has a population of 250,000 and continues to flourish. The port is experiencing an increase in the number of ships calling in, and in 2024, the Port of Southampton welcomed a record-breaking three million cruise passengers. It is considered the cruise capital of the UK, if not Europe.



Sadly, the Royal Pier lies in ruins today. It was damaged during the war but repaired and adapted to support RoRo ferries in the 1950s when Red Funnel introduced MV Carisbrooke Castle. The pavilion underwent work to turn it into a ballroom in 1963. However, the pier was deemed unsuitable and closed at the end of 1979, and a fire on 4 May 1987 destroyed many of the structures on the pier. The gatehouse is a Grade II listed building. The former gatehouse was taken over by new owners, who renamed it Deja Vu in May 2025 and later renamed it 'The Royal Palace'.



From a boating perspective, Town Quay places visitors right in the heart of the Old Town in perfect security. All the city's theatres, unique galleries and museums, plus many intimate music and comedy venues, are within a short walk. Sadly, much of the city was flattened, and there has been extensive redevelopment since World War II. However, pockets of Georgian architecture survived the war, and about half of the walls dating back to 1175—culminating in the completion of the western walls in 1380—can still be seen today. Thirteen of the original towers and six gates remain. Chief amongst these is the 800-year-old Bargate, which was initially built as the main gateway to the medieval city. Those in search of some retail therapy will find the city's shopping centres, speciality shops, boutique stores, and local markets all close at hand. The Old Town features a host of excellent dining venues.

What facilities are available?

All pontoons are equipped with water and electricity, along with facilities for disposing of rubbish. Waste oil can be safely disposed of ashore near the marina office. The marina has recently been refurbished and now offers excellent laundry, toilet, and shower facilities, including family-sized shower/changing rooms and baby changing stations. Fuel can be obtained from Hythe Marina, located just south, or from Itchen Marine on the River Itchen upstream of the Itchen Bridge. The marina is within walking distance of West Quay shopping centre and the wider city centre, which has an estimated population of 253,651 and offers all necessary amenities.

Southampton City Buses regularly pass the marina, taking passengers to the town centre within five minutes. 500 metres away is Dock Gate 4 and Oxford Street, known as Southampton's culinary hub. A cash machine is available at the Red Funnel Terminal 2 building nearby.




As a major city and commercial port, Southampton boasts excellent transport links. The neighbouring ferry and fast catamarans operate routes to Cowes on the Isle of Wight and Hythe. Mainline trains run to London Waterloo in approximately 70 minutes, as well as to Poole, Weymouth, Portsmouth, and Brighton. Numerous local and regional bus services complement these. Southampton International Airport, offering both domestic and international flights, is a 30-minute taxi ride during smooth traffic conditions. The M27 motorway, connecting to the M3 and A3, is about a 30-minute drive from the marina.

Any security concerns?

The marina is highly attentive to security. Gates are coded and a 24 hour security system is maintained with CCTV.

With thanks to:

Michael Harpur S/Y Whistler.