Isle of Wight ferry services

There are currently three different ferry companies that operate vessels carrying passengers and, on certain routes, vehicles across the Solent, the stretch of sea that separates the Isle of Wight from mainland England.

Since the Isle of Wight was separated from mainland Britain, probably about 7000 years ago,[1] vessels have transported people and goods across the Solent.

[citation needed] However the earliest record of an Isle of Wight ferry service is from 1420 when the Lord of the Manor in Ashey was responsible for boats crossing between Portsmouth and Ryde.

By the 17th century a rota of Ryde fishermen were required, on penalty of a fine, to make daily return crossings to Portsmouth.

In 1817 the first steamship ferry, Britannia, began to operate on the Portsmouth–Ryde route,[2] but she was found to be unsuitable for her role and quickly withdrawn.

This was followed in 1849 by the Portsea, Portsmouth, Gosport and Isle of Wight Steam Packet Company (PPG&IWSPC) operating on the same route.

These merged in 1861, becoming the Southampton, Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (IW&SERMSPC).

The Hovertravel fleet at Ryde .
As Monarch at Swanage Pier
Sandown and Ryde at Portsmouth Harbour 15 July 1965
In Portsmouth in 1969
Shanklin
HSC Fastcat Ryde in 2002
MV Caedmon
MV Cenwulf
MV Cenred
MV St Catherine in 2008
MV St Helen in 2008
MV St Cecilia in 2008
MV St Clare in 2003
MV Red Eagle in 2005
MV Red Falcon in 2009
MV Red Osprey in 2009
MV Red Jet 4 in 2006
MV Wight Light in 2008
MV Wight Sky in 2009
Solent Express in 2007
MV Victoria of Wight in 2018