AGALEGA JETTY
CHART NO. 2508

General Information
Description
11.247
1       Berth	An open jetty (1020'32.72" S, 05635'03.25"E) lies North-West of North Island 80 meters North of the existing smaller jetty. The lay of the jetty is 177-357 degree and is made up of concrete and is about 250 m in length. 
        The minimum depth alongside is 12 m. A Concrete ramp of length 50 meters exist on the inner side of the jetty. The jetty is well sheltered from the South Easterly swell. Two masonry post(front post red and white band, 
        rear post white band, 1.5 m high) of alignment 094 lead to the jetty. The transit is however not sensitive and is visual only when approaching from West as they are obscured by heavy vegetation.
2	Agalega Islands (10 24'.00S, 56 37'.10 E), population of about 350, consist of South Island, about 5 m high, and North Island, about 8 m high, 1 mile NW, separated by La Passe. Both Islands are well wooded with high trees 
	and coconut plantations.
   	A ridge of sand with a reported depth of 0.4 m obstructs La pass and connects the Islands which are fringed with a steep-to reef, broken by boat passages. 
3	Port Sainte Rita (10 26'.44S, 56 40'.00 E) is situated on the NE side of South Island and has a meteorological station. There is a pier, constructed of coral blocks, but this was reported damaged by sea action in 1978.
	La Fourche, (10 20'.17S, 56 34'.00 E) previously Port saint Jaques, lies on the W end of North Island, overlooking saint James Anchorage. There is a pier, with a crane, from which copra is shipped.
	Vingt Cinq (10 22'.54S, 56 35'.98 E) is situated centrally on North Island.

Depths
11.248
1	The waters around Agalega Islands appear to be deep, with no dangers charted in the immediate vicinity of the islands.

	Pilotage    
11.249
1	The Coxswain of a surf boat at Sainte Rita may be able to act as a pilot for vessels calling at Agalega Islands.  

	Tidal levcls
11.250
1	Mean spring range about 0.8 m; mean neap range about 0.4m.For further information see the relevant Admiralty Tide Tables.    

	Natural Conditions
11.251
1	Current. The South Equatorial Current sets mostly W or SW with low or moderate constancy at an average rate of about 1 Kn. Early in the year, however, it may be replaced for a time by a current setting N at a similar rate.
	Tidal Streams.  On both side of the islands these are irregular but, in general, they set SE on a rising tide and NW on a falling tide. The SE-going stream, however, is frequently not strong enough to overcome the current 
	and the resultant flow sets continuously NW at rates from 1 to 3 kn.

2	At an anchorage (11.254) off the E side of South Island, used by HMS Frolic in 1857, the streams attained a rate of 1 to 3 kn. On a falling tide the rate was greater at the start of the stream.
	In August 1892, a strong NE set was experienced off Sainte Rita.

3	The streams are more regular at Saint James Anchorage (11.255), usually setting NW and slightly offshore, but setting SE for about 2 hours during a rising tide. This letter stream is often weak and was not felt by HMS Loch 
	Killisport in 1955.
	Overalls. These form off Tappe-a-Terre, the N end of North Island, as shown on the plan of Saint James Anchorage.
	
Directions
Approach
11.252
1	Approaching from N, North Island can be readily identified on a radar display while the high trees on the islands can be seen from a considerable distance. From SE or NW the two islands appear as one.
	Deep-draught vessels approaching from W should avoid a bank (10 22'.23S, 56 19'.06 E) with a depth of 27m, about 15 miles W of North Island. It is reported that the islands can just be seen from the vicinity of this bank.  

Islands
11.253
1	The plan is sufficient guide for navigation in the vicinity of Agalega Islands. 
    	Caution. No navigation lights are exhibited from the islands. At night, they should not be closely approached without reliable radar in view of the tidal streams described at 11.251.

2	Useful mark:
	Sandhills, 12m high (not Charted), bearing 144 distant 21/2 miles from a pier at Sainte Rita, on the SE coast of South Island. 

Anchorages, berths and landings

South Island
11.254
1	Anchorages. Local knowledge is required to obtain an anchorage in 33 to 37 m, sand and gravel, off Sainte Rita in the position shown on the plan. Vessels can be guided to this anchorage by a local boatman if requested. 
	During strong SE winds a heavy swell sets in and preparations should be made 	to weigh.
	Temporary anchorages has been obtained in 58m, 21/2 cables NNE of the pier at Sainte Rita (11.247), but this anchorage is not recommended from May to September. The charted light at the pier was reported destroyed (1988).

2	Care should be exercised when anchoring off Sainte Rita as the tidal streams cause eddies which may set a vessel on to the reef. See 11.251for further information.
	Elsewhere, HMS Frolic (1857) reported anchoring on a ledge off the E side of South Island in 18 m, coral and large rocks, about 2 cables from the coastal reef. The steepness of the reef makes it difficult nto find anchorage 
	elsewhere off the E coast of South Island.

3	Anchorage can, However, be obtained off the W coast, in Little Mapou Bay (10 27'.60S, 56 39'.34 E), in depth from 31 to 37 m, 3 or 4 cables from the coastal reef.

Berth.	At Sainte Rita there is a jetty about 30 m in length, lying NNE/SSW and drying for about half its length with a depth of 0.9 m at the head. Constructed of soft coral rock, the jetty suffered sea damage in 1978 and could not 
	be used.
	
4	A Channel, difficult at LW and dangerous for ships boats, leads through the coastal reef to a landing at Sainte Rita. Local surf- boats are available, but see above regarding conditions. 

North Island
11.255
1	Anchorages. Saint James Anchorage, off the NW shore of North Island, affords anchorage sheltered from the South-east Trade Wind in 9 to 18m, about 4 cables SW of Tappe-a-Terre and 11/4 cables off the coastal reef, in the 
	position shown in the plan of the anchorage. The alignment (094) of two masonry posts (front post red and white bands, rear post white, 1.5m high), spaced about 5m apart, leads to the anchorage.

2	Anchorage may also be obtained S of Saint James Anchorage, (10 20'.17S, 56 34'.00 E) in 13m, sand and coral, good holding ground, in a position 193 distant 63/4  cables from a jetty which lies 5 cables SSW of Tappe-a-Terre.
	With local knowledge, anchorage may be found off the W side of North Island in Francis Bay, S of NorthWest Point.

3	Caution. The leading beacons for Saint James Anchorage, situated in a clearing, are obscured except from W and cannot be distinguished until within about 1 mile. Care should be taken not to confuse them with a shrine, surmounted
	by a white cross, which stands in a similar clearing about midway between the beacons and the pier. See 11.251 for tidal streams in the anchorage.

4	Berth. A jetty, 5cables SSW of Tappe-a-Terre, of concrete and wood construction, about 60m in length, can be used by shallow-draught craft, care being taken at HW when berthing is difficult due to swell. The presence of many 
	rocks N of the jetty renders the approach difficult for vessels.
	Landing. Ships boats are able to land on the NW side of North Island.

