Cowes Harbour

A view over Cowes Harbour shows the mouth of the Medina River where it meets the Solent, with yachts, small craft and ferries moving across the water. The town's waterfront buildings and the busy pontoons make the scene easy to recognise, and the changing tide shapes the look of the harbour throughout the day.

Early mornings are often calm, with mist over the Solent and the first ferries crossing. Afternoons bring more sailing traffic, especially in summer when regattas and visiting yachts fill the water. Watching the weather move in from the west is part of the appeal, and winter gales can turn the strait grey and choppy.

Cowes sits on the north coast of the Isle of Wight, separated from the mainland by the Solent. The town has long been associated with yachting and boatbuilding, and its two waterfronts face each other across the Medina. Visitors take ferries from Southampton and Portsmouth, walk the seafront and watch the constant movement of boats.