Chart N0. 4205    REVELLO AND BERESFORD CHANNELS

Camorta Island
9.10
Horace Point (8° 13'.9N, 93° 30'.8E), the N point of Camorta Island, lies about 17 miles E of Bompoka Island. There are villages and huts along the coast on both sides of the island and on its SW point is a hill 109m high near Cave Point. The island is picturesque with white coral beaches backed by coconut palm and with alternations of forest and grassy slopes.

Nancowry Island lies close S of Camorta Island and between them is the fine landlocked Nancowry Harbour (9.24).
Camorta Island- West Side

9.11
The W coast between Horace Point and Cave Point (8° 03'.1N, 93° 28'.8E), 11 miles S, is fringed by a reef which extends ½ mile offshore between Horace Point and Koihoa, a village 3.4 miles SW of it.

Perseus Reef, 2.3 miles SW of Koihoa, extends 4 cables W of the W point of Camorta Island. 
Sanderson Rock, with a depth of less than 1.8m, lies 4.1 miles NW of Cave Point.

Dring Harbour, 9 miles SSW of Horace Point, can only be entered by boats. A prominent building stands on the E side of the harbour about ½ mile NE of its S entrance point.

Mount Edgcumbe, a tree-covered hill 109 m high stands 9 cables NNE of Cave Point, the N entrance point of Expeditions Harbour.
	
Anchorage
9.12
Because of bad holding ground there are no good anchorages off the W coast of Camorta Island but temporary anchorage may be obtained almost anywhere  of the coast N of Cave Point in depths of 20m to 40m.

Anchorage may be obtained at a depth of 12 to 14m, 1.8 mile NW of Horace Point, Anchorage in depth about 15m may be obtained off the village of Koihoa about 1 mile offshore, but Perseus Reef offers no protection during the SW monsoon.

Vessel may obtain anchorage off Dring Harbour in a depth of 16m with the S entrance point bearing 089° distant 6 cables and in line with a 64m hill near the head of the harbour which has a steep fall on its NE side. This is perhaps the best anchorage off this coast as little or no current is experienced here.

Tidal Streams
9.13

Between Perseus Reef (8° 10'.2 N, 93° 26'.4 E), and a point between the entrance to Expedition and Nancowry Harbours, set S with the rising tide and N with the falling tide,. At springs the N-going stream is the strongest, attaining a rate of 3 knots, some 2 to 3 miles off the coast; the S-going stream runs at a rate of ¾ knots. At neaps the N-going stream has a rate of ¾ to 1¼ knots and the S-going stream a rate of ¼ to ¾ knot. 

Tide rips occur frequently at springs in various places all along the coast and at variable distances from it.

9.14

Expedition Harbour (8° 03'N, 93° 29'E), is a land locked harbour which opens out into Grand Harbour.  

The harbour is entered between Cave Point and Satellite Point, 3 ½ cables SSE.

Swarms of mosquitoes infest vessels anchored in Expedition Harbour and the entrance is narrow hence it is advisable to use Nancowry Harbour.

Coral Patches, drying 1.2 m, 1 ½ cables SSE of Cave Point and depths of less than 9m extend nearly 3 cables SW from cave point.

A deep water channel, ½ cable wide and with a least charted depth of 20m  passes ½ cable N of Satellite Point and leads into Expedition Harbour.

Wasp Point, 2.3 cables SE of Cave  Point, forms an inner entrance point to Expedition Harbour.

Devils Point, lies 6 ½ cables NNE of Wasp Point.

Middle Reef, an extensive patch of drying coral, lies 3.5 cables E of Devils Point and in the centre of the fairway. A narrow channel, 1.2 cable wide and with a depth of 12 m, separates the SE end of this reef from reef extending from Edgecumbe Point (8° 03'.32 N, 93° 29'.78E).

Anchorage may be obtained in a depth of 18 m, with muddy bottom, with Devils Point bearing 340° distance 3½ cables.
 

Expedition Harbour entrance
Directions
9.15
	If entering Expedition Harbour it is advisable to wait until the sun is high and to enter, as the sun reflecting off the water makes the entry unsafe. If possible, approach the entrance from N or S keeping at least 1 mile off the coast; when the village of Pumpal, ½ cable NE of Edgcumbe Point, opens out in the entrance and bears 071° steer in on that bearing until Devils Point bears 000°, then shape course as convenient for the anchorage. Vessels are advised not to proceed NE of Devils Point, into Grand Harbour, unless the N end of Middle Reef has been marked, and then only when the sun is high.

Grand Harbour
9.16

Grand Harbour is entered about 1 mile NNE of Middle Reef between Edye Point (8° 04'.06N, 93° 30'.27E), the N point of the promontory separating this harbour from Expedition Harbour and Bedingfield Point 3½ cables N; a conspicuous palm tree stands 1 cable NW of the later point.
 
Grand Harbour 

Headlam Creek and Wright’s Creek flow into Grand Harbour from NE and ESE respectively, a conspicuous hill lies at a elevation of 56 m in between both the creeks.

Caution The entrance to Expedition Harbour and Grand Harbour is narrow and the harbours inside is in a very small area encumbered with rocks and shoals and hence it is not recommended to be used by vessels more than 30 m in length even to avoid inclement weather.

Satellite Point to Reef Point
9.17

Between Satellite Point (8° 02'.64N, 93° 28'.8E) and Reef Point, the S point of Camorta Island, 3 miles SSE, the reef fringing the W coast of the island is fairly narrow.

Camorta Island-East Side
9.18

Between the NE point of CamortaIsland, 1½ miles E of Horace Point (8° 14' N, 93° 31'E), And Naval Point, 12 miles S, the coast is fringed by reef extending from ½ to ¾ mile offshore except off Kakana, a village 3.4 miles SSW of the NE point, reef extends up to 1½ miles offshore. The coastal reef is easily seen in good light.

Anchorage may also be obtained about 2 miles NW of Horace Point. Anchorage may be obtained about 2 cables E of the coastal reef extending off Kakana, but local knowledge is necessary.

TrinkatIsland (8°05'N, 93° 35'E) lies E of the S part of CamortaIsland and it is separated from the latter by Beresford Channel. The island, fringed by an extensive reef except at its E and NW extremities, is very low and level, with many coconut palms.

Morel Point (8°02'N, 93° 35'E), is the S point of TrinkatIsland and is 15m high. A light is exhibited from Morrel Point from a white round masonry tower at an elevation of 11m.

Anchorageay also be obtained about 2 miles E of the N extremity of TrinkatIsland. However Local Knowledge is necessary.

9.19
Beresford Channel is entered at its S end through False Bay(8° 02'N, 93° 34'E), Eastern Shoals, several patches with depths of less than 9.1m lie on the NE side of the entrance to Beresford Channel. The shore on each of the channel is fronted by reefs and shoals extending up ½ mile offshore and nearly meeting where Middle Reef lies in mid-channel, 3½ miles NNW of Morrel Point. 	The channel each side of Middle Reef are about 1 cable wide; the channel has a least depth of 11.9m and the E channel has a least depth of 6.4m.

Naval Point (8º02'.1N, 93º32'.5E) is fronted by reefs extending upto 2 cables E and 1½ cables S. A concrete beaconalight with red and white horizontal stripes, stands at the edge of the reef S off Naval Point. The old iron frame beacon lies uprooted close by. An Islet lies close offshore about 2.5 cables N of Naval Point.

Bay Point Beacon, a disc at an elevation of 20 m, stands at the entrance to a swamp 2¾ miles WNW of Morel Point on the W side of False Bay.

9.20
Nancowryharbour(8°01' N, 93° 31'E), commodious and sheltered all round, lies between the S side of Camotra Island and the N side of Nancowry Island; the latter island is densely wooded. The harbour can be entered from Revello Channelor from Beresford Channel; both channels are deep and can be entered or left without difficulty all round the year, Both can be well distinguished from seaward side.
	
Tidal Streams set E with the rising tide and W with the falling tide, attaining considerable strength in the entrances although weak inside the harbour.

The climate in NancowryHarbour is hot and damp and malignant malaria is very prevalent.

There is regular sea communication with Port Blair and occasionally with  Rangoon and Pinang.

9.21
West Entrance. The W entrance lies between Reef Point (7° 59'.88N, 93° 29'.67E) and Indian Point, 3.2 cables ESE, the NW point of Nancowry Island. There is a least depth of 11.5m in the fairway of the entrance which is about 1 cable wide between the dangers on each side.

Reef Point would be very difficult to distinguish but for a white washed mark on it; but the mark cannot be relied upon.

A shoal depth of 7.6m, lies 4.5 cables SSE of Reef Point.

Northbrook Patch, with a least depth of 4.5m lies 2.5 cables SSW of Reef Point with other patches between it and the coast W of the point.

Burleigh Rock, 11 m high and with a wooded summit connected with the coast lies 3 cables SE of Reef point.

Wasp Bay lies 7 cables SE of Easter Point (8° 00'.86 N, 93° 30'.18 E), about 1.1 mile NNE of Reef Point, and Leda Point, 1.4 miles ENE of 

Easter point. Itue a village 4.5 cables SSW of Leda Point, forms a good mark. 

Alfrey Patch, with a least depth of 8.2m, lies 5.2 cables SW of Leda Point and nearly in mid channel.

Satellite Bay, The NW part of Nancowry Harbour, is entered between Easter Point and Alfred point (8° 01'.93N, 93° 31'.05E) 6.5 cables NW of 
Leda Point,  Satellite Patch, with a least depth of 3.7m, rocky, lies midway between these entrance points.  Several shoals with depths of 5m to 11m lie in the bay.

9.22
Approaches to east entrance. The approach to the entrance, with a least depth of 12.8m  in the fairway, lies between Morrel Point, on the NE, and Laire Point(8°00'.68N, 93° 33'.82E) and Reid Point, about 2 miles SW and WSW respectively.

Between Laire Point and ReidPointNNW, the NE coast of NancowryIsland is fronted by an extensive reef up to ½ mile offshore marked at its edge by breakers, except at high water and on exceptionally calm days.

Reid Point is marked by a disc Beacon with an elevation of 28m.

Anchorage. Sheltered anchorage in depths of about 21m with good holding ground, may be obtained NE of East Entrance with Naval Point (8°02' N, 93° 32'E), bearing 237°distance 8.2cables, but a good scope of cable is necessary as squalls off the land are veryheavy.

The E entrance lies between NavalPoint, on the N, and the coast between Reid Point and Mayo Point, 1.07 mile W, on the S; there is a width of about 1.7 cables between the dangers on each side depths over 14m  in the fairway. A wooden jetty 72m long and 6m wide projects W from the shore 1½ cables SSW of Mayo Point

Naval Point Light is exhibited from a structure  1½ cables S of Naval Point.

NancowryHarbour – East Part
9.23

Cross Harbouris entered from W between AlfredPoint and Leda Point and from E between Naval Point and Mayo Point.

Anchorage. Excellent sheltered anchorage may be obtained in the harbour; good anchorage is also re ported in the fairway of the E entrance on a line joining the jetty WNW of Naval Point and Mala, a village 1 cable SE of Mayo Point.

FortBay, also known as Octavia Bay, the NE part of NancowryHarbour, is entered between AlfredPoint and Naval point, 1½ miles E.

Anchorage. The outer part of FortBay is clear of dangers and affords excellent anchorage in a depth of 22m, the bottom is mud, NW of Mayo Point at adistant 9.9 cables.  This anchorage is well sheltered, although open to the sea breeze, and little current is experienced.

Berths. A stone jetty, 119m long and with a wooden extension projecting about 100m SW and W from its head lies 3 cables WNW of Naval Point. There are depths of about 11m at the outer end of the jetty. The approach to the jetty is encumbered by shoals and rocks and great care is necessary.

A government Agent’s House stands near the root of the stone jetty.

Battery Point lies6.3 cables NW of Naval Point. Two radio masts stand 1.1 cables SE of Battery Point and a conspicuous clump of casuarina trees stands 1½ cables NE of Battery Point. 

SpitefulBay, the SE part of NancowryHarbour, is entered between Leda Point and Mayo Point. A 8.8m patch lies 3½ cables ENE of Leda Point and close W of the Bay. A mud bank drying 1.1 m fills the head of the bay and there are detached reefs in its inner part; the bay should not be entered unless these reefs have been buoyed.

The most convenient Anchoragein SpitefulBay is in the middle of its entrance in a depth of 22 m; it is open to the sea breeze. There is a good Landing place 1 cable S of Enounga, a village lying 1 cable S of Mayo Point (8°01'.6N, 93° 32'.2E).

Direction for NancowryHarbour
9.24
West Entrance. The W entrance can be identified by a high ridge of hills, and by the trend of the coast forming the S side of the harbour.

In order to avoid the dangers off Reef Point, which terminate in Northbrook Patch, approach the W entrance from SW, keeping  the conspicuous casuarina clump near Battery Point on the E side of the Fort Bay and midway between Man Point (7°59'.98 N, 93° 29'.85 E) and Indian Point SSE, bearing about 039°which leads SE of Northbrook Patch; when Reef Point bears 000°, steer  for it on that bearing until Burleigh Rock bears 090°, then alter course gradually  E, avoiding the foul ground which extends NW from Burleigh Rock, and shape a course to pass midway between Man and Indian Points.

The Tidal Streams run strongly between Man and Indian Points, and it is advisable to have good steerage way on as there are many eddies which may give vessels a slew which can be checked by a quick movement of the wheel.

After passing Man Point, steer for the village of Itue, bearing about 051°, and when about ¾  mile off the village, alter course N and pass close W of AlfreyPatch and E of a 4.9m shoal situated about 3 cables W of Alfrey Patch, when Mayo Point bears about 0800  and is open N Leda Point, alter course E and steer for the radio mass NE of Battery Point bearing 0540, which leads between the dangers extending from Leda Point and Alfred Point. 

9.25

East Entrance. If approaching the E entrance keep Reid Point bearing 281°and in line with Alfred Point, which leads S of Eastern Shoals; when the SE side of Trinkat Island bears 034°,alter course N to bring Bay Point Beacon to bear 309°and keep it on that bearing which leads NE of  the reef fronting the coast between Laire and Reid Points; when Mayo Point beacon bears 261°, shape a course about 268°to pass midway between Naval Point and N shore of Nancowry Island 4¾ cables S. This track passes 1 cable S of a 4.8m shoal situated 2 cables SE of Naval Point and 2 cable N of a 7.6m shoal on the S side of the entrance. After passing Naval Point, alter course a little N to clear the spit extending NW from Mayo Point, and then as required for the anchorage.

9.26
CapeConnaught(7°55'.8N, 93° 34'.2E), the S point of NancowryIsland, lies 6 miles SE of the entrance to NancowryHarbour. A rock, 1m high, stands on a reef extending 3 cables SE from the cape. There is a Grey colored masonry square tower of 12m height with black bands which lies at CapeConnaght.  

Revello Channel separates Camotra and NancowryIslands from KatchellIsland and is about 4mile wid 

Katchall Island
9.27
Katchall Island, forming the SW side of Revello Channel, is covered with forest; its summit Katchall, 227mhigh stands at the middle of the island. Depths off the W coast are very irregular. A light is exhibited from a red and white chequered square tower 9m in height on the N entrance point of East Bay at Kapanga Point. This tower was destroyed during the Tsunami. The island is greatly affected by Tsunami, a jetty which was existing also got completely destroyed along with buildings close by.

9.28
East Bay, lying between its S entrance point 6 miles NNW of Cape Albany and point 2 ½ miles farther NNW, is backed by steep rising ground and by Katchall, the island summit. The bay is encumbered with shoals with depths less than 1.5 m, a rocky patch with a depth of 0.5 m lies 4.5 cables NNW of the S entrance point. A Jetty lies 1 ¾ miles WNW of the same point.

Hoinipoh Bay, a slight bight ¾ mile SE of the S entrance point of East Bay, affords good anchorage in a depth less than 20m with Hoinipoh village bearing about SE distance 5.4 cables. The Bay has good landingand is much frequented by trading vessels. Another village Mupayala lies 1 mile SE of Hoinipoh.

CapeAlbany(7°52'.5N, 93° 27'.2E), the Southern most point of Katchall Island, SouthBay, on its W side is encumbered with rocks and foul ground and should not be entered.

WestBay, a large bight on the SW side of the island is foul in its inner part and in parts of its entrance. However, Anchorage  may be obtained in a depth of 16m  about 1 mile SSW of its NW entrance point; good Landing may be effected inside the NW entrance point of the bay during the NE monsoon.

Tidal Streams across the entrance of WestBay attain a rate of 2 knots.