Ramsgate is a coastal town situated three miles south of North Foreland, the southern entrance point into the Thames Estuary. It has one of the largest marinas on the English south coast, and the Port of Ramsgate provides a cross-Channel ferry service for both passengers and freight.
Tucked away within the inner harbour, and behind its substantial breakwaters, the marina offers complete protection. Safe access is available night or day, at any stage of the tide and in all reasonable conditions.
Keyfacts for Ramsgate
Last modified
September 20th 2020 Summary
A completely protected location with safe access.Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Position and approaches
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Haven position
51° 19.662' N, 001° 25.292' EThis is the head of the South Breakwater at the entrance. Upon it stands a beacon that exhibits a light, VQ.R.10m5M.
What is the initial fix?
The following Ramsgate Initial Fix will set up a final approach:
51° 19.453' N, 001° 26.530' E
This is close to the No.4 port buoy, Q.R., of the approach channel, about ¾ mile from the entrance. It is in the ‘Recommended Track for Small Craft’ that lies close south of the primary approach channel and at the recommended crossing track, at right angles to the channel, on the west side of No.3 and 4 buoys. What are the key points of the approach?
Offshore details are available in the southeast England’s Coastal Overview for North Foreland to the Isle of Wight .
- Obtain permission from Ramsgate Port Control VHF Ch. 14 call sign [Ramsgate Port Control] before approaching.
- Approach close south of the main channel, noted on charts as the 'Recommended Track for Small Craft'.
- When entering Royal Harbour, pass close to the West Pier to avoid a shoal that extends from the East Pier, as also illustrated by the 'Recommended Track for Small Craft'.
Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Ramsgate for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
- Dover - 13.5 nautical miles SSW
- Folkestone - 17.4 nautical miles SSW
- Rye Harbour - 34.2 nautical miles SW
- Sovereign Harbour (Eastbourne Marina) - 52.3 nautical miles SW
- Newhaven - 64.9 nautical miles WSW
- Brighton - 65.5 nautical miles WSW
- Shoreham - 69.8 nautical miles WSW
- Littlehampton - 80.6 nautical miles WSW
- Dell Quay - 89.8 nautical miles WSW
- Chichester Marina - 90.4 nautical miles WSW
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
- Dover - 13.5 miles SSW
- Folkestone - 17.4 miles SSW
- Rye Harbour - 34.2 miles SW
- Sovereign Harbour (Eastbourne Marina) - 52.3 miles SW
- Newhaven - 64.9 miles WSW
- Brighton - 65.5 miles WSW
- Shoreham - 69.8 miles WSW
- Littlehampton - 80.6 miles WSW
- Dell Quay - 89.8 miles WSW
- Chichester Marina - 90.4 miles WSW
How to get in?
Ramsgate Harbour
Image: Michael Harpur
Image: Michael Harpur
The harbour is artificial and enclosed by breakwaters. The South Breakwater, which protects the harbour to the south, extends 700 metres east from the reclaimed land forming the ferry terminal. The East Pier, with its extension, The North Breakwater, protects the harbour to the east, extending 600 metres south from the coast. The harbour is in two parts: to the south is the Port of Ramsgate, with ferry berths at its west end; to the north is the Royal Harbour and its three marinas.
East Bank, which dries to sand and mud, lies in the southeast part of Royal Harbour and is marked by a light buoy (starboard hand). The Inner Harbour, the northwest part of Royal Harbour, is entered through dock gates.
Berths available for visitors in the east and west outer marinas have 24-hour access. Contact Marina Berthing Office VHF Ch.80 call sign [Ramsgate Marina], Harbourmaster and Marina tel:+441843 572100.
Royal Harbour
Image: Michael Harpur
Image: Michael Harpur
Offshore details are available in the southeast England’s Coastal Overview for North Foreland to the Isle of Wight . No craft should enter or leave the harbour without prior permission from Ramsgate Port Control VHF Ch. 14 call sign [Ramsgate Port Control].
The approach channel has a maintained depth of 7.5 metres and entry is supported by leading lights:
- • Front direction light (black triangle point up, orange stripe, on white mast).
- • Rear light (black triangle point down, orange stripe, on white mast).
From a position east of the harbour entrance, the alignment (270°) of the leading lights leads through the approach channel to the harbour entrance. By night, the approach channel is also covered by the narrow white sector (269°-271°) of the front directional light.
The approach channel is 110 metres wide and marked by light buoys (lateral and cardinal). Shallows lie south of the harbour entrance, the Quern Bank being closest, and the Cross Ledge further south. To the north, the shallows shelve gently with no uncharted hazards.
The approach channel is, however, used by cross-Channel ferries, fast pilot boats, and other commercial craft. Leisure craft should use the 'Recommended Track for Small Craft' as marked on charts on the south side of this channel.
International Port Traffic Signals regulating the movement of vessels to and from Royal Harbour are exhibited from Port Control on the East Pier. The Royal Harbour Seaward Signal applies to vessels entering the harbour limits from seaward. The Royal Harbour Signal applies to vessels in Royal Harbour. A Ferry Movement Signal (orange flashing light) is exhibited from Port Control when a ferry is manoeuvring. While the signal is exhibited, no vessel may enter the harbour limits, leave Royal Harbour, or move within the Port of Ramsgate without permission from Port Control. Should you need to wait before entering the harbour, the designated holding area for leisure vessels is to the south of the southern breakwater and to the north of the approach channel's No.3 buoy.
Yacht passing through Ramsgate’s outer breakwaters
Image: Michael Harpur
Image: Michael Harpur
From the initial fix, call Ramsgate Port Control [Ramsgate Port Control] on Ch 14 and ask for permission to enter the harbour. On receiving permission, follow the charted 'Recommended Yacht Track' from the No. 4 buoy. Pass close north of the North Quern buoy to clear the shallows and proceed under power through the outer entrance. If required to wait, use one of the above suggested holding areas as convenient.
Ramsgate’s outer breakwaters are low-lying and built of rocks, and can be difficult to spot
Image: Michael Harpur
Image: Michael Harpur
Ramsgate’s outer breakwaters are low-lying and built of rocks, and can be difficult to spot from the east. The Harbour is entered between the heads of the South Breakwater and North Breakwater. The North pier head has a green pillar and platform (Q.G 5M); the South has a red pillar and platform (VQ.R 5M). The helm should pay attention to tidal streams, which sweep across the entrance, roughly northeast to southwest, at up to 2 knots.
Keep close to the West Pier to avoid a shoal that extends across the entrance from the East Pier
Image: Michael Harpur
Image: Michael Harpur
The entrance to inner Royal Harbour is 300 metres northwest of the main entrance and lies between the heads of the West and East Piers, from where lights are exhibited. The Harbour Light Buoy (starboard hand) marks a bank extending south from the East Pier head. The buoy may be moved as the bank changes. A light buoy (port hand), moored close west of the Harbour Light Buoy, marks the opposite side of the short approach channel to Royal Harbour.
However, a vessel should keep close to the West Pier to avoid a shoal that extends almost the entire way across the entrance from the East Pier – see charted 'Recommended Track for Small Craft'. Royal Harbour's entrance is 63 metres wide and faces south-southwest.
The three marina areas within Royal Harbour
Image: Michael Harpur
Image: Michael Harpur
The greater part of Royal Harbour is given over to three berthing areas. Immediately to port is West Marina and further north is East Marina, both of which have a minimum depth of 2 metres. Large vessels can berth on the outer wavebreak pontoons at both of these marinas.
Large vessels along the wavebreak pontoons of the west Marina
Image: Michael Harpur
Image: Michael Harpur
The Inner Marina may be accessed at HW ±2 hours via dock gates and a lifting bridge. A red and yellow flag by day and single green light at night indicate the gate is open. It has a maintained depth of 3 metres.
The Inner Marina’s dock gates and lifting bridge open
Image: Michael Harpur
Image: Michael Harpur
It is also possible to anchor outside the harbour entrance and south of the breakwater in winds from west-northwest to north-northeast.
View from the inner harbour
Image: Darril Edwards
Image: Darril Edwards
© Crown Copyright and/or database rights. Reproduced by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office (www.GOV.uk/UKHO). Not to be used for Navigation.
Why visit here?
Ramsgate began as a fishing and farming hamlet. Christian missionary St Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory the Great, landed near Ramsgate in AD 597. The town is home to the Shrine of St Augustine.The earliest known mention of Ramsgate is in the Kent Hundred Rolls of 1274-5, both as Remmesgate (in the name of resident Christina de Remmesgate) and Remisgat (with direct reference to the town). The names Ramisgate and Raunsgate appear in the parish of St Laurence records circa 1290. These all derive from late Anglo-Saxon Hremmes, from earlier Hræfnes (raven’s), and geat (gate), with reference to the gap in the cliffs. In 1357, the area became known as Ramesgate. Ramsgate became a member of the Confederation of Cinque Ports in the 15th century, under the ‘Limb’ of Sandwich, Kent.
The construction of Ramsgate Harbour began in 1749 and was completed in about 1850. The harbour has the distinction of being the only Royal Harbour in the United Kingdom. Because of its proximity to mainland Europe, Ramsgate was a chief embarkation point both during the Napoleonic Wars and for the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.
The Official Illustrated Guide to South-Eastern and North and Mid-Kent Railways (June 1863), by George Measom, describes Ramsgate like this: “It is impossible to speak too favourably of this first rate town, its glorious sands, its bathing, its hotels, libraries, churches, etc. etc. not forgetting its bracing climate... The streets of Ramsgate are well paved or macadamed and brilliantly lighted with gas.”
Architect A W Pugin and his sons lived in Ramsgate and built several important buildings there, including St Augustine’s Church, The Grange, St Augustine’s Abbey and The Granville Hotel.
Vincent Van Gogh moved to Ramsgate in April 1876, aged 23. He boarded at 11 Spencer Square, which is commemorated by a blue plaque. He worked as a teacher at a school in nearby Royal Road, where he received his post. In one letter to his brother Theo, he described his surroundings: “There’s a harbour full of all kinds of ships, closed in by stone jetties running into the sea on which one can walk. And further out one sees the sea in its natural state, and that’s beautiful.”
In 1901, an electric tram service, one of the few inter-urban tramways in Britain, was introduced on the Isle of Thanet. The towns of Ramsgate, Margate and Broadstairs were linked by 11 miles of track. In 1915–1916, early aircraft began to use the open farmland at Manston as a site for emergency landings. The location near the Kent coast gave Manston some advantages over other previously established aerodromes. During the First World War, Ramsgate was the target of bombing raids by Zeppelin airships. By 1917 the Royal Flying Corps was well established and taking an active part in the defence of Britain. As RAF Manston, the aerodrome played an important role in the Second World War. It is now called Kent International Airport, but is currently not operational.
As the Second World War approached, Ramsgate Borough Council embarked on plans to create a network of deep shelter tunnels, linked to a former railway tunnel, which would provide shelter for 60,000 people. The tunnels were opened on June 1, 1939.
In October 1939, the Royal Navy established a Coastal Forces base at Ramsgate called HMS Fervent, which operated motor torpedo boats, motor gun boats and motor launches until September 1945. From May 27, 1940, Ramsgate harbour was the main assembly point for the build-up of small craft needed for Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. Once the evacuation was under way, Ramsgate became the second-busiest port after Dover, and just under 43,000 men passed through the port, transported onwards by 82 special trains.
Today, Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline, particularly Main Sands, which was awarded a Blue Flag in 2015. Meanwhile, part of the network of wartime deep shelter tunnels was opened to the public in 2014, with tours running ever since. The local council runs a tourist website for Ramsgate and neighbouring towns. Highlights include Ramsgate’s annual regatta and carnival, both of which take place during the summer months. Other popular events include the annual Addington Street Fair and the French Market.
We are currently out and about finding Havens and talking to sailors like you. By popular user request, we have posted this marina in advance of our normal production. Hence, we have adapted Wikipedia data in this ‘Why visit here’ section. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this text under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.
What facilities are available?
Water and electricity are readily available. The Marina features a modern amenity block with free showers, toilets and coin-operated launderette facilities. Wireless internet connection is available throughout the marina berthing areas. Recycling points are located at the base of West Pier and the entrance to the boat park.Petrol and diesel are available from the fuel barge 365 days a year. There are full repair facilities ashore and afloat, including a 40-tonne boat hoist in the boatyard that offers a wash-off service. Chandlery, sail loft, slipways, boat park and brokerage are all on hand.
The hospitable Royal Temple Yacht Club (+44 1843 591766) overlooks the marina, which is situated five minutes from the town centre, where all amenities are available, including excellent public transport links. Bus services are provided by Stagecoach East Kent, also serving Broadstairs, Canterbury, Sandwich and Margate. Ramsgate railway station is at the top of the town near the parish of St Lawrence. A new high-speed train service to London, on High Speed 1 (HS1), the UK’s first high-speed rail line, runs between Kent and London’s St Pancras station. The journey time from Ramsgate to the new St Pancras terminal, with excellent onward transport links, is 1 hour 16 minutes.
Other trains run from Ramsgate to London Charing Cross and London Victoria. Commuting time to the capital on these lines is approximately 1 hour 50 minutes. Trains from Ramsgate are routed via Margate, Chatham and Bromley South, or via Canterbury West or Dover Priory and Ashford International. Ramsgate railway station is operated by Southeastern.
Any security concerns?
The Marina is covered by 24-hour security manning and CCTV surveillance.With thanks to:
eOceanic and UK Hydrographic OfficeRamsgate Harbour, Kent, England
Image: eOceanic thanks Michael Harpur
Ramsgate Harbour's pretty quay
Image: eOceanic thanks Michael Harpur
Ramsgate Harbour Inner Harbour
Image: eOceanic thanks Michael Harpur
Ramsgate Harbour Inner Harbour
Image: eOceanic thanks Michael Harpur
Yacht entering the West Marina
Image: eOceanic thanks Michael Harpur
Ramsgate Sands immediatly northeast of the harbour
Image: eOceanic thanks Michael Harpur
About Ramsgate
Ramsgate began as a fishing and farming hamlet. Christian missionary St Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory the Great, landed near Ramsgate in AD 597. The town is home to the Shrine of St Augustine.
The earliest known mention of Ramsgate is in the Kent Hundred Rolls of 1274-5, both as Remmesgate (in the name of resident Christina de Remmesgate) and Remisgat (with direct reference to the town). The names Ramisgate and Raunsgate appear in the parish of St Laurence records circa 1290. These all derive from late Anglo-Saxon Hremmes, from earlier Hræfnes (raven’s), and geat (gate), with reference to the gap in the cliffs. In 1357, the area became known as Ramesgate. Ramsgate became a member of the Confederation of Cinque Ports in the 15th century, under the ‘Limb’ of Sandwich, Kent.
The construction of Ramsgate Harbour began in 1749 and was completed in about 1850. The harbour has the distinction of being the only Royal Harbour in the United Kingdom. Because of its proximity to mainland Europe, Ramsgate was a chief embarkation point both during the Napoleonic Wars and for the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.
The Official Illustrated Guide to South-Eastern and North and Mid-Kent Railways (June 1863), by George Measom, describes Ramsgate like this: “It is impossible to speak too favourably of this first rate town, its glorious sands, its bathing, its hotels, libraries, churches, etc. etc. not forgetting its bracing climate... The streets of Ramsgate are well paved or macadamed and brilliantly lighted with gas.”
Architect A W Pugin and his sons lived in Ramsgate and built several important buildings there, including St Augustine’s Church, The Grange, St Augustine’s Abbey and The Granville Hotel.
Vincent Van Gogh moved to Ramsgate in April 1876, aged 23. He boarded at 11 Spencer Square, which is commemorated by a blue plaque. He worked as a teacher at a school in nearby Royal Road, where he received his post. In one letter to his brother Theo, he described his surroundings: “There’s a harbour full of all kinds of ships, closed in by stone jetties running into the sea on which one can walk. And further out one sees the sea in its natural state, and that’s beautiful.”
In 1901, an electric tram service, one of the few inter-urban tramways in Britain, was introduced on the Isle of Thanet. The towns of Ramsgate, Margate and Broadstairs were linked by 11 miles of track. In 1915–1916, early aircraft began to use the open farmland at Manston as a site for emergency landings. The location near the Kent coast gave Manston some advantages over other previously established aerodromes. During the First World War, Ramsgate was the target of bombing raids by Zeppelin airships. By 1917 the Royal Flying Corps was well established and taking an active part in the defence of Britain. As RAF Manston, the aerodrome played an important role in the Second World War. It is now called Kent International Airport, but is currently not operational.
As the Second World War approached, Ramsgate Borough Council embarked on plans to create a network of deep shelter tunnels, linked to a former railway tunnel, which would provide shelter for 60,000 people. The tunnels were opened on June 1, 1939.
In October 1939, the Royal Navy established a Coastal Forces base at Ramsgate called HMS Fervent, which operated motor torpedo boats, motor gun boats and motor launches until September 1945. From May 27, 1940, Ramsgate harbour was the main assembly point for the build-up of small craft needed for Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. Once the evacuation was under way, Ramsgate became the second-busiest port after Dover, and just under 43,000 men passed through the port, transported onwards by 82 special trains.
Today, Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline, particularly Main Sands, which was awarded a Blue Flag in 2015. Meanwhile, part of the network of wartime deep shelter tunnels was opened to the public in 2014, with tours running ever since. The local council runs a tourist website for Ramsgate and neighbouring towns. Highlights include Ramsgate’s annual regatta and carnival, both of which take place during the summer months. Other popular events include the annual Addington Street Fair and the French Market.
We are currently out and about finding Havens and talking to sailors like you. By popular user request, we have posted this marina in advance of our normal production. Hence, we have adapted Wikipedia data in this ‘Why visit here’ section. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this text under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.
Other options in this area
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Alternatively here are the ten nearest havens available in picture view:
Coastal clockwise:
Dover - 8.3 miles SSWFolkestone - 10.8 miles SSW
Rye Harbour - 21.2 miles SW
Sovereign Harbour (Eastbourne Marina) - 32.4 miles SW
Newhaven - 40.3 miles WSW
Coastal anti-clockwise:
Bude Haven - 140.9 miles WBread & Cheese Cove - 188.4 miles WSW
Bull's Porth - 188.5 miles WSW
Tean Sound - 189.2 miles WSW
St Helen's Pool - 189.6 miles WSW
Navigational pictures
These additional images feature in the 'How to get in' section of our detailed view for Ramsgate.
Detail view | Off |
Picture view | On |
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