Badagara to Kochi - 259


Badagara (11°36'N., 75°35'E.) is an important town on the coast, about 7 miles SSE of Mahe. The coast in the vicinity is low, sandy, and fringed by coconut trees.

A flagstaff, 25m high, is conspicuous on the coast W of the town. A casuarana tree, 64m high, is conspicuous above the dense coconut plantations on a small hill close S of the town.

A flat-topped hill, 136m high, is conspicuous about 3 miles ENE of Badagara. A 102m and a 105m hill rise about 1 mile NNW and SSW, respectively, of the flat-topped hill. Farther inland, Nattavaram 1,388m high and Banasuram (Buffalos Hump), 2,060m high, about 20 miles WNW of Badagara, are conspicuous.

A conspicuous round red hill, 55m high, lies about 3 miles SSE of Badagara, on the S bank of the Murat River, about 1 mile within the entrance.

Anchorage can be taken in 9.1m, mud, about 2 miles WSW of the flagstaff.

Kadalur Point (11°28'N., 75°38'E.), low but prominent, is covered with palm trees over which will be seen a large round tree. Hills gradually rise NE of the point; the nearest summit is 78m high, about 1.3 miles NE of the point.

Kadalur Point has been reported to give a good radar response at 22 miles. The coastal reef extends about 1.5 miles W and 1.3 miles S from the point. Trikodi Reef, with a least depth of 1.5m and Kadalur Reef, with a least depth of 3.3m, are the W and SW ends, respectively, of the coastal reef.

Sacrifice Rock (11°30'N., 75°32'E.), 18m high and conspicuous, lies about 6.5 miles WNW of Kadalur Point. It consists of granite and, having a white appearance, can be seen 10 miles in clear weather. The passage between this rock and the coast is free of dangers, but vessels using it should keep near the rock, and not proceed into depths of less than 13m. Vessels passing W of this rock at night should not proceed into depths of less than 27m which are found about 2.5 miles W of the rock. A shoal, swept to a depth of 2.7m, lies almost 1 mile offshore W of Tikkotti village. The coast between Kadalur Point and Calicut, about 14.5 miles SSE, is generally low, sandy, and fringed with palms. Red laterite hills back the coast.

Kollam, a large village, lies about 3.8 miles ESE of Kadalur Point. A water tower is conspicuous on the coast, close S of the village. The conspicuous summit of Pukkunnu, 297m high, rises about 7.5 miles ESE of the village. A large black rock, with a tree on it, lies on the coast about 2.8 miles SSE of Kollam.

Elattur Cape (11°19'N., 75°44'E.), about 4 miles farther SSE, is low and rocky, with coconut palms close inland. The mouth of Elattur River, a shallow and rocky river, lies about 1.3 miles N of the cape.

Vavul Mala (Camels Hump) (11°25'N., 76°08'E.), about 23 miles ENE of Calicut, is the highest and most conspicuous peak of the Kundah Mountains. It is visible far to seaward in clear weather. The Kundah Mountains end rather abruptly S of Vavul Mala.
Beypore (11°10'N., 75°48'E.)
The port of Beypore (Beipur), an open roadstead, lies off the entrance of the Beypore River and is considered a wharf of the port of Calicut.

Kota Kunnu, a 60m hill, about 3 miles SE of the entrance to Beypore River, is a good landmark for vessels approaching Beypore. Olavattur Kunnu, 245m high, about 8 miles E of Beypore, lies among isolated hills in the vicinity. Urakuth Mala (Dolphins Head), a hill, about 13 miles ESE of the river entrance, is conspicuous. New Beypore Lighthouse is shown from an octagonal masonry tower, with red and white bands, on the SE side of the entrance to Beypore River.

Other landmarks are a flagstaff, 25m high, on the SE entrance point of the river; a conspicuous chimney, about 1.5 miles NE of the flagstaff; and several chimneys of a tile works, across the river and about 0.2 mile N of the tall chimney.

Depths-Limitations.-Black Rocks, 1.2m high, lie towards the SE end of a reef about 0.8 mile S of the entrance to Beypore River. A rock, with a depth of 1.5m, lies about 0.5 mile SSW of Black Rocks. The bar of Beypore River had a depth of 3.5m between the breakwaters in 1990.

Pilotage.-Pilotage is not compulsory; however, pilots are available for entering the river.

Anchorage.-Anchorage may be obtained in 7m, about 1.5 miles WSW of the flagstaff; moderate sized vessels usually anchor in 8.5m, about 0.5 mile farther WSW. Large vessels anchor farther out.

Caution.-Vessels in the vicinity of Beypore at night should not enter depths of less than 14.6m.

Beypore to Cochin
The coast between Beypore and Ponnani, about 24 miles SSE, is low, sandy, fringed with palms, and backed by red laterite hills. A light is shown at Tanur, an important fishing village, about 11.5 miles SSE of Beypore. A tableland, covered with palms, lies about 1 mile NE of the village. A tableland, about 90m high, with a few scattered trees, lies about 9 miles N of Ponnani. 
Ponnani (10°47'N., 75°55'E.), a busy seaport for local craft, lies on the S side of the entrance to Ponnani River. The port is closed during the SW monsoon, and is in charge of a Port Conservator responsible to the Port Officer at Calicut. The extensive backwater of Ponnani River forms a wide gap in the line of palms when viewed from WSW. The entrance of the river is wooded and prominent from the S. Ponnani Light is shown from a white, round, concrete tower with black bands, 0.8 mile S of the river entrance. The bar of Ponnani River has a depth of not more than 2.1m, but small vessels with local knowledge can enter it at HW. There are some unlicensed pilots available.

The town of Chetwai (10°32'N., 76°03'E.) lies about 1.5 miles within the entrance to a backwater. The existence of the boundary pillars N and S of the backwater entrance is doubtful. Chetwai Light shows from a 33m high circular concrete tower, lying 1.5 miles N of the boundary pillar.

Anchorage can be taken by small vessels in 11m, mud, off the entrance to the backwater; local knowledge is necessary. A range of hills, over 305m in height in its highest part, lies about 18 miles ENE of Chetwai. It lies between the Western Ghats and the coast, and terminates abruptly toward the S. The NW summit of this range gives good radar response.

Periyar River (Pallipur River), about 22 miles SSE of Chetwai, is generally easy to identify from the W due to the gap in the fringing palms. Periyar River Light is shown from a white, square, concrete tower with black bands, situated 1.3 miles N of the river entrance.