Latest news from Cowes Harbour 9th April 2021
Launch of new Cowes Weather Station online
Planned reopening of overnight visitor moorings
As I write, the UK Government is planning to proceed with a cautious further easing of lockdown restrictions to allow domestic overnight stays of households only from next Monday, 12th April. As long as this Step 2 of the roadmap out of lockdown goes ahead on the planned date, then CHC will be permitting overnight stays at Shepards Marina and our visitor moorings on the river. I am very pleased to say the maintenance dredge at Shepards was successfully completed on schedule and the marina is now open again although some facilities and berthing may still be limited due to Covid restrictions.

Just in time for the return to boating, the new Cowes Weather Station is now available to view on our website displaying tide and weather data transmitted from two monitoring stations in the harbour. You can read more about this Stakeholder Benefit project to improve navigational safety for harbour users in our lead article below.

I look forward to meeting as many of our readers as possible over the coming season and should you wish to come and see us, the Harbour Office will also be open to visitors again from next week.

Gary Hall
Chief Executive
Maintenance dredge at Shepards Marina
Photo: Jenkins Marine carrying out maintenance dredge of Shepards Marina, March 2021. Credit: Rod Hodgson.
New Cowes Weather Station goes live
Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC) and OceanWise Ltd. have completed a Stakeholder Benefit project to install two environmental monitoring stations on the River Medina to provide harbour users with tide and weather data allowing commercial and leisure vessels to make timely safety related navigational decisions.

A fixed weather station at Shepards Marina provides tide height and visibility information, whilst a floating weather station in the main harbour provides information on harbour wind speed and direction, temperature, and barometric pressure. The tide and weather sensors feed data to the online Cowes Weather Station that has just been launched on CHC’s mobile enabled website.

Hampshire-based OceanWise, specialists in marine environmental data management, have installed similar systems at other ports in the UK, including ABP Southampton, London, Dover and Liverpool. For Cowes, OceanWise has used a range of monitoring instruments including the Valeport Tide Gauge and Biral Visibility Sensor. Data from all the sensors is collected and transmitted using OceanWise’s smart telemetry service and data management and display system (Port-Log), for use by Cowes Pilots and commercial vessels, and publication online.
Cowes Weather Station
Cowes Harbour General Directions
Sailing into spring
Blooming daffodils, warmer weather and the sun's position in the sky are some of the ways we define the beginning of spring, which astronomically started on 20th March this year.

For us sailors and boaters however, one of the key dates this spring is next Monday, 12th April when lockdown restrictions are due to be eased to allow domestic overnight stays. This means vessels will be emerging from marinas and boatyards after the long winter and so for everyone’s safety and enjoyment on the water, boat owners should ensure they have carried out a full spring commissioning of their vessel and are familiar with the local regulations.

For visitors to Cowes, whether Islanders or from the mainland, please also take careful note of and abide by all safety signage on the water and shoreside along the seafront.

Read our top reminders for a safe return to boating this spring:
• Boat maintenance. Vessels may have been out of use for some time so it’s important to get them checked properly before setting out; this will also relieve the pressure on the RNLI and Coastguard.

• General Directions. Know the harbour rules, e.g., the speed limit of 6 knots no wash, give way to the Chain Ferry and commercial vessels, don’t swim in the harbour, and don’t drink and go boating.

• Notices to Mariners. Check this season’s new Notices on navigation in the harbour, Chain Ferry safety advice, UK entry and exit formalities for recreational craft and more.

• Lifejackets. Lifejackets are useless unless worn. Choosing the right one for your activity can be difficult but the RNLI has excellent advice on lifejackets to help your decision.

• Kill cords. Always, always, use a kill cord on board powered craft and ensure it is attached to the driver of the boat. The RYA has a handy page on all you need to know about kill cords.

• Accident and incident reporting. All accidents and incidents must be reported to CHC, especially collisions, close quarters situations, groundings, pollution, or risk reports, so lessons can be learned.

• CCTV. To help keep everyone safe, Cowes Harbour has a CCTV system for the purpose of promoting maritime safety, crime prevention and public safety.

• Operation Wavebreaker. CHC continues to work with the Hampshire Police Marine Support Unit on tackling anti-social behaviour on the water with the aim of finding effective ways of modifying current behaviours to ensure everyone can use the water in a safe and enjoyable environment.

• Watch schemes and initiatives. Project Kraken is an ongoing national initiative to increase public awareness of terrorism and criminal or suspicious activity at marinas, moorings or on the water.
Water taxi services for 2021
CHC will be continuing its support throughout the 2021 season for a water taxi service as a Stakeholder Benefit for harbour users. Based on the continuing special circumstances of the Covid-19 situation, it has been decided to retain Cowes Water Taxis as the provider for another season, during which time a general review will be carried out on the usage statistics and how the service is working.

Please note that changes to water taxi services and hours may occur due to Covid restrictions and/or for operational reasons and harbour users are advised to check the CHC website for the latest information: cowesharbourcommission.co.uk/water_taxis
Current Notices to Mariners
Cowes Harbour - Isle of Wight
Multi-Cat vessel Seaclear
Shepards Marina in Cowes
Cowes Harbour Office
Cowes Harbour Commission | Website