305- APPROACHES TO GOPALPUR

Baruva to Gopalpur:
 
The coast between Baruva (18º 52'N, 84º 35'E) and Gopalpur, 29 miles NE, is sandy and broken. Near Kaviti, a small village, 10 miles NNE of Baruva the land rises gradually from the coast to an elevation of 91m forming a wooded tableland which is connected with the lower ranges of hills, farther inland. The higher ranges, which are farther inland, are obscured and of little use for navigation.

Investigator Rock:

(18º 58'.5N, 84º 44'.2E), with a depth of 2.3m over it, lies about 8½ miles NE of Baruva S Beacon. The water over the rock is not discolored; nor does the sea break over it.

Landmarks:

A masonry beacon, 7m in height, stands on a large sand bank near the coast 9¾ miles. Kaviti Beacon, reported to be partially obscured by trees, stands on tableland at an elevation of 85m, 2.4 miles NW of the masonry beacon.
Piria Konda (Ichapur), a sharp cone-shaped hill 157m high and surrounded lower hills, stands 4¼ miles N of Kaviti Beacon, with Dandrasi, 206m high, 5½ miles farther NE. Both Piria Konda and Dandrasi form good marks; the latter appears from the E as a round-topped hill but from S as a long summit with two peaks, the W peak is slightly higher.
Ichchapuram village stands about 1 mile E of Piria Konda (Ichchapuram hill).
Raegara, a range with four peaks, the highest 879m high, lies parallel with the coast about 8 miles NW of Dandarsi and is prominent.
Sunpur, a small port on the N bank of Bahuda River, about 1 mile within its mouth, lies 17½ miles NE of Baruva S beacon. A 50 m long jetty is under construction near the village. However, depth alongside the jetty is not available and dredging is required prior berthing boats. Boats are secured on shore with the help of wooden logs. A bridge is under construction near jetty between Sunpur and Sunpur beach. 
A white obelisk about 15m high stands on an islet close within the river entrance.

GOPALPUR PORT:

General information:

Gopalpur (19º 15'N, 84º 54'E) is an open roadstead port; the town, with a population of 6,700  in 2011, stands on rising ground and its white houses, extending ½ mile inland, may be seen from as far as 12 miles seaward.  Small quantities of provision may be obtained. The climate is Tropical.
Gopalpur Port (19º 18'.50N, 84º 57'.50E) is about 8 km SW of Gopalpur town.  Gopalpur Light House is also located within the densely populated town area.  Nearest railwaystation Berhampur is about 17 kms away.  All basic facilities like hospitals, post office, bank etc are available in the town.  The town has couple of good tourist resorts as well.  Very close to the port premises, IRE Ltd. factory is located and the factory uses the sand pump trestle for sand mining. The Port Control Station of the Gopalpur port and the jetty are not in use. Only one tug is available at the new jetty of Gopalpur port for emergency purpose only. Construction of the breakwater is in progress. 
The fishing harbour is situated within the port. The access to the fishing  harbour is only available at high water. Sandbars have obstructed the main channel of the fishing jetty and port near the Port signal station.
A small stream, which is not navigable even by boats, enters the sea close NE of the town.

Landmarks and Navigational Marks:

Water Tower (19° 18' .52N, 84° 57' .5E) 
Chimney (19° 18' .63N, 84° 57' .6E
Water Tower (19° 18' .74N, 84° 58' .1E) 
Beacon (19° 15' .64N, 84° 53' .9E)
Temple (19° 18' .16N, 84° 57' .8E)
A beacon lies 3 cables SW of the Gopalpur light. A Racon (S) transmits from the light. A white port flagstaff stands on the E side of a building near the coast at Gopalpur. 
Gopalpur Light (19º 15'.35N, 84º 54'.40E), is exhibited from a white round masonry tower, with red bands, 45m high 3½ cables SW of the mouth of the small stream mentioned above. On top of the Gopalpur light house the Coast Guard has installed a new radar 
Leading lights on bearing 262º: Front (19º17'.28 N, 84º56'.78 E), Rear (19º17'.27 N, 84º56'.66 E).

Anchorage:

Anchorage, may be obtained in area bound by following coordinate:
19°17'.05N, 84°59'.95E
19°15'.78N, 84°58'.38E
19°14'.80N, 84°59'.40E
19°16'.10N, 85°00'.92E

Anchorage, may be obtained ESE of Gopalpur light in a depth of 10 m to 12 m, the bottom is coarse Sand, and in some places Mud; with Gopalpur light-tower bearing 299º distant about 6 cables.  During the period from April to July, in strong wind, vessels should anchor in depths of about 16m with a good scope of cable.
An anchorage be obtained ENE of the terminal, in position 19° 17´.97 N, 85°00´.09 E, depths from 16 to 18 m, sand and mud.
Two hard patches, one 8 cables SSE and the other 7 cables E of Gopalpur Light, should be avoided when anchoring. 
Although without shelter, landing and shipping operations are possible throughout the year except occasionally when the surf seems too high. All transport between ships and shore is effected by the surf boats of the Masula type; ship’s boats must not be used for landing.  
Between march and August, owing to the displacement of sand along this coast, all the river mouths have narrowed spits trending NE from their entrances.
No ballast are permitted to be discharged in depths less than 22m. Landing and shipping operations are possible throughout the year except occasionally when the surf seems too high.

Firing Practice Area: 

Firing Practice Area a point centered on 19° 07'.39N, 85° 35'.94E with an arc of 40.50 nm radius joining between 18° 33'.61N, 84° 53'.74E and 18° 46'.05N, 85° 22'.86E which is marked on the chart, for further details mariners are advised to see Notices to Mariner Special Edition Notice no 9. 
Storm Signals are displayed at Gopalpur, the general system is used.

Gopalpur to Chilka:

Between Gopalpur and Chilka 38 miles ENE, there are no off-lying dangers.  Near the coast the sea bottom is sandy; between depths of 20m and 40m it is sand and mud; and in depths of over 42m it is generally mud.
Between Gopalpur and Ganjam, 12 miles NE, the coast is sandy; several isolated and conspicuous hills are visible over the coastal sand hills. There are several fishing villages on the coast.	
Manusurukota (19º 18'N, 84º 55'E) an isolated rocky hill 55m high stands 2 miles N of Gopalpur and shows over coastal sand hills.  A distinctive isolated hill stands 5½ miles N of Manusurukota with Landabaums, 198 m high and presenting in conical sugarloaf appearance from all directions, 2 miles E of it.

Ganjam:	

Ganjam, is a little town which is seen from seaward, on the N side of which the land is low and with the ruins of an old fort standing on rising ground on its S side, The town lies on the N bank of Rushikulya River, which enters the sea 12 miles NE of Gopalpur. This river cannot be used for navigation. The small fishing harbour exists at the mouth of river. The port of Ganjam is little used because of heavy surf and shifting banks. Prayagi Light House is 15 km NE of Ganjam town. The light house derives its name from a small fishing village Prayagi. 
Chilka Canal connects Chilka Lake to Ganjam. From Ganjam to Puri, about 51 miles NE, the coast is irregular and consists of sandhills backed by cultivated and grazing land but little can be identified from seaward.
Hill ranges N of Ganjam rise to an elevation of 340m.
Paluru Bluff, (19º 27'N, 85º 08'E), 175m high and standing 5 miles NE of Ganjam is the bold NE termination of the ranges of Ganjam district which reach their great elevation in Kujidheppo (Kujidaba) Pahar, a saddle shaped hill, 340m high, stands 5 miles WNW of Paluru Bluff. 
Between Paluru Bluff and the mouth of Chilka Lake, 32½ miles ENE, the coast consists of sandhills backed by cultivation and grazing land, but little can be identified from seaward. A beacon stands on the coast 19 miles ENE of Ganjam. 
Pryagi light (White circular tower, red spiral bands, 32 m in height) (19°28'.0 N, 85°10'.0 E) exhibited 7 nm NE of Chilka Canal mouth.
Mount Chandikho, rises to an elevation of 462m on the W shore of Chilka Lake described later; its summit, which is 15.6 miles NNE of Paluru Bluff, appears as a double peak from S. This peak stands out somewhat from the high ranges W of Chilka Lake. A low beach of sandhills, backed by a little cultivation and grazing ground, stretches between Paluru Bluff and the Mouth of Chilka Lake, The entrance of the Chilka Lake is 32½ miles farther ENE, but little can be identified from seaward.

Chilka Lake:

is a large shallow expanse of water, which is separated from the sea by a long, narrow sandy ridge. At its SW end, the lake is bordered by lofty hills N of Paluru Bluff, but to the N, it disappears in endless shallow, sedgy banks and islands just above the surface Nalaban Island a reed forest occupies the centre of the lake and there are several islands on the E side. Bhargavi, Daya, Nuna and many other rivers discharge into Chilka Lake. Chilka is the largest salt water lake. The lake extends upto Palaru junction in the SW direction. The lake disappears in the North in shallows. Nalaban Island exists in the centre of the lake.

Chilka Mouth:

. The entrance of Chilka lake 19º 43' N, 85º 30' E is small and not easily identified. It has depths about 0.9m over the bar in the dry season (December to June) and probably more during the rains, when the high surf renders the lake inaccessible from the sea. At the entrance shoals extends nearly 4 cables offshore with depths of 11m to 15m close outside them; the sea breaks over these shoals. The entrance is reported to move its position considerably. The Chilka Mouth is accessible only by the country boat during monsoon season. Boat service to different island exists from Satapada and Balugoan. Satapada is a tourist spot which is about 30 km from Puri. From  Satapada boats are available for transiting to Naupada. Road transport is available from Naupada to Paluru junction. Satapada has a jetty for tourist and ferry boat for Naupada. The ferry also visits the island in between Satapada to Naupada. There is no hospital near the Satapada. Nalaban Island now comes under the forest department and one forest watch tower exists on this island. Chikha Lake has reserve forest boundary pillar where the boats entry is restricted.
The Tidal Stream rushing through the mouths of Chilka keeps the lake water brackish during the dry season, but with Bhargavi, Daya and other rivers flowing down in the monsoon, the water becomes fresh.