Setting & Character
West of Brighton the coast is broken by two river entrances. The Arun runs out to sea at Littlehampton between two piers and over a bar, with Littlehampton Harbour Board on VHF Channel 71. The Adur meets the sea at Shoreham, where a commercial Trust Port runs locks into a sheltered canal with Lady Bee Marina inside.
Brighton Marina stands behind its own breakwaters under the cliffs east of the city. Beyond it the chalk rises toward Seaford Head and Beachy Head, with Newhaven’s River Ouse harbour and its Dieppe ferry in between. East of Beachy Head, Sovereign Harbour at Eastbourne sits behind two 24-hour locks below the Martello tower at Langney Point.
Kent brings the busiest water of the trip. Dover is a ferry and cruise port under the White Cliffs, where every leisure movement is controlled by Dover VTS on Channel 74. Round the South Foreland, Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour Marina lies about four miles from the northern Goodwin Sands, with the turn toward the Thames beyond North Foreland.
Harbours West to East
Littlehampton Marina: family-run pontoons on the River Arun at Ferry Road, with no marina lock and diesel and unleaded on the fuel pontoon. Littlehampton Harbour Board controls the entrance on Channel 71 and runs its own visitor pontoon below the Harbour Office.
Shoreham (Lady Bee Marina): about 160 pontoon berths in Shoreham Port’s canal, reached through the Prince George Lock. Berths must be pre-booked with Lady Bee Chandlery before you lock in; Shoreham Harbour Radio is on Channel 14.
Brighton Marina: Premier’s marina behind the east and west breakwaters, with more than 1,300 berths, 24-hour reception, visitor pontoons 10 and 11 and a daytime lock to the Inner Harbour. VHF Channel 80 or 37.
Newhaven Marina: up to 285 berths on finger pontoons inside the River Ouse entrance. Call the marina on Channel 80, then Newhaven Radio on Channel 12 before you enter.
Sovereign Harbour: Premier’s Eastbourne marina, with more than 800 berths in four inner harbours behind two 24-hour locks. VHF Channel 17 from the safe water mark.
Dover Marina: visitor berths in the all-tide Outer Marina under the White Cliffs. Dover VTS on Channel 74 from two miles out, then Dover Marina on Channel 80 once inside.
Ramsgate Royal Harbour: 24-hour access to the outer marinas, with Port Control on Channel 14 and Ramsgate Marina on Channel 80.
Radio and Booking at a Glance
Each harbour on this coast has its own first call. The table lists the published channels and booking arrangements.
| Harbour | First call | Berthing | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Littlehampton | Littlehampton Harbour, Ch 71 | Marina 01903 713553; Harbour Board pontoon 01903 721215 | Harbour Board pontoon: advance booking strongly recommended |
| Shoreham | Shoreham Harbour Radio, Ch 14 | Lady Bee Chandlery 01273 591705 | Pre-booking required before the locks |
| Brighton | Brighton Marina, Ch 80 or 37 | 01273 819919 | Pre-booking advised |
| Newhaven | Newhaven Marina, Ch 80, then Newhaven Radio, Ch 12 | 01273 513881 | Call the marina for a visitor berth |
| Sovereign Harbour | Sovereign Harbour, Ch 17 | 01323 470099 | Pre-booking advised, especially in peak season |
| Dover | Dover VTS, Ch 74 | Dover Marina, Ch 80 · 01304 241663 | No advance booking needed; visitors use the Outer Marina |
| Ramsgate | Ramsgate Port Control, Ch 14 | Ramsgate Marina, Ch 80 | Berthing request form for craft over 15 m LOA or 4 m beam (Western Marina) |
Passage Planning
Eastbound from the Solent or Chichester Harbour, Littlehampton and Shoreham are the first Sussex stops before Brighton. Both are tidal in their own way: Littlehampton’s bar stands 0.9 metres above chart datum, and Shoreham’s Prince George Lock runs to a timetable in the high and low water periods.
Between Newhaven and Eastbourne the coast rounds Beachy Head. Premier’s navigation notes for Sovereign Harbour ask boats coming from the west to stay a mile off the shore after rounding the Head, and boats coming from the east or south-east to watch for tide rips over the Royal Sovereign Shoal, the Horse of Willingdon and the Coxheath Shoal.
Dover requires every leisure craft to join Dover VTS on Channel 74 from two miles out, and entry under sail alone should not be attempted. North of Dover, Ramsgate’s Recommended Yacht Track keeps small craft south of the commercial channel, with the northern Goodwin Sands about four miles from the harbour entrance.
Fuel is published at Littlehampton Marina (diesel and unleaded), Newhaven Marina (marine diesel), Dover’s Fuel Berth in the Tidal Harbour and Ramsgate’s fuel barge (petrol and diesel, every day of the year).
Crossing the Channel
Dover is about 20 miles from France, with Boulogne, Calais, Gravelines and Dunkerque within reach, and Ramsgate is about 35 miles from the French coast. Newhaven’s port runs the ferry service to Dieppe.
At Dover, craft entering from non-EU countries, or with crew from non-EU countries, fly a yellow Q flag until Border Force has boarded, and the berthing masters hold C1331 forms for crews planning to visit a non-EU country.
Tides
Each harbour guide links its own official tide station. Littlehampton, Shoreham, Brighton Marina, Newhaven, Sovereign Harbour, Dover and Ramsgate all have UKHO tide tables on BBC Weather and ADMIRALTY EasyTide. High water at Ramsgate is Dover plus 20 minutes.
In This Area
The harbour guides run west to east. To the west lie Chichester Harbour, Langstone Harbour and the Solent.
Frequently asked questions
Which harbours are in the Sussex & Kent area?
Littlehampton Marina, Shoreham (Lady Bee Marina), Brighton Marina, Newhaven Marina, Sovereign Harbour at Eastbourne, Dover Marina and Ramsgate Royal Harbour, west to east.
What are the first VHF calls along this coast?
Littlehampton Harbour Channel 71; Shoreham Harbour Radio Channel 14; Brighton Marina Channel 80 or 37; Newhaven Marina Channel 80, then Newhaven Radio Channel 12; Sovereign Harbour Channel 17; Dover VTS Channel 74, then Dover Marina Channel 80; Ramsgate Port Control Channel 14, then Ramsgate Marina Channel 80.
Where do I need to book ahead?
Shoreham’s Lady Bee Marina only lets pre-booked visitors through the locks. Premier advises pre-booking at Brighton and Sovereign Harbour, and Littlehampton Harbour Board strongly recommends booking its visitor pontoon. Dover needs no advance booking for visitors in the Outer Marina.
Where can I get fuel on the Sussex and Kent coast?
Littlehampton Marina (diesel and unleaded), Newhaven Marina (marine diesel), the Fuel Berth in Dover’s Tidal Harbour and Ramsgate’s fuel barge (petrol and diesel).
