402 - Landfall Island to Stewart Sound
Landfall Island (13°39'N., 93°01'E.), 79.2m high in its N part, is fringed by a reef which extends up to 0.5 mile offshore in places. Landfall Rocks, 12.8m high, lie on the reef fringing the S end of the island.
East Island lies 0.8 mile E of Landfall Island. The intervening channel has a least depth 3.6 m and provides anchorage to small craft. The anchorage is approached from the S.
East Island Light is shown from a white, round metal tower with red bands standing on the S summit of East Island; a racon is located at the light. Channel Islet, a 19m high rock, lies 0.3 mile off the E side of Landfall Island near the edge of the reef which fringes that island.
Hickman Shoal (13°42'N., 92°59'E.), which consists of two small patches, lies about 2 miles N of the NW end of Landfall Island. The patches have a least depth of 8 m. Several patches, with depths of 3.5 to 10.1m, lie between Hickman Shoal and Landfall Island. Shoals, with depths of less than 9.1m, lie within 2 miles NW of the N end of the island.
Ranger Reef (13°39'N., 93°07'E.), with a least depth of 1.8m, lies 2 miles E of the N end of East Island. Two 8 m patches lie within 0.8 mile N of Ranger Reef. In heavy weather the reef is marked by breakers, but at other times it is difficult to identify.
Jackson Ledge (13°39'N., 93°08'E.), with a least depth of 3.2m, lies about 3.3 miles E of the NE end of East Island and is marked by tide rips. An 10.9m detached patch lies 3 miles ESE of the ledge. An 8.4m patch lies 2.5 miles NE of the ledge.
The Andaman Islands, a group of 204 islands, islets and rocks, lie between the parallels of 10°30'N, and 13°40'N and the meridians of 92°11'E, and 94°13'E. The principal islands consist of North, South and Middle Andaman, and Baratang and Rutland Islands. Little Andaman Island lies about 30 miles farther S. These islands are known as the Great Andamans. North and Little Andaman Islands have been reported to be good radar targets at distances up to 18 miles. South Andaman Island has been reported to be a good radar target at distances up to 17 miles.
The principal groups of small islands consist of the Richies Archipelago, off the E side of Baratang Island, and the Labyrinth Island, off the SW coast of South Andaman Island. The principal off-lying islands are North Sentinel, Barren, and Narcondam Islands. The latter island is an extinct volcano which lies 70 miles E of the main group.
The Andaman Islands consist of a mass of very high hills enclosing very narrow valleys. Most of the islands are covered with dense tropical growth.
The shores of the islands are deeply indented, forming a number of harbours, some of which are very spacious. The principal ports or harbours on the Wcoasts of the islands consist of Temple Sound, Port Anson, Port Campbell, Port Mouat, and Macpherson Strait. Those which indent the E coasts consist of Port Cornwallis, Stewart Sound, Elphinstone Harbour, Colebrook Passage, Port Meadows, and Port Blair. The latter port is the Administrative center for the whole group.
The reefs and dangers off the W coasts of the
Andaman Islands are more extensive than those off the E coast, and extend in places up to 21 miles offshore.

The surf breaks a considerable distance offshore on the E coast of the Andaman Islands because of the rocky ledges and foul ground which fringe these shores.
West Coral Bank, Middle Bank and South Bank, composed of coral and sand, lie off the W side of the Andaman Islands. The water over them is very clear and judging from the appearance of the bottom, it seems probable that rollers break on Middle Bank during the SW monsoon but not on the others. The 183m curve passes close W of these banks, and the increase of swell usually indicates their general location.
West Coral Bank (13°13'N., 92°31'E.), the northernmost of these banks, lies between 15 and 23 miles W of North Andaman Island. A least depth of 11m lies on the N part of the bank about 14 miles NW of North Reef Island (13°05'N., 92°43'E.).
Narcondam Island (13°26'N., 94°17'E.), an extinct volcano 710m high, lies about 74 miles E of the N end of North Andaman Island. Its summit is shaped like a truncated cone.
Barata Bay on the E side of the island can be identified by a.grove of palm trees. A light is shown from a white framework tower on the NW side of the island; the visible sector bearing between 058° and 179°.
Narcondam Island has been reported to be a good radar target up to 27 miles.
In 1946, and subsequently through 1984, the island has been reported to lie 2.3 miles farther W than charted.
Cleugh Passage (13°36'N., 93°02'E.)
Cape Price (13°35'N., 93°02'E.), the N end of North Andaman Island, is densely wooded and slopes gradually to the sea. The S shore of Cleugh Passage, between Cape Price and Cape Thornhill, about 7 miles WSW, is indented, densely wooded, and fringed by mangroves in places.
Cleugh Passage, which separates Landfall and East Islands from North Andaman Island, is available to vessels with local knowledge. Passage through it is not recommended because of the strong currents and lack of navigational aids. Depths in the fairway range from 20.1 to 56.7m, but patches of less than 18.3m are numerous. Patches, with depths of 6.6 and 9.1m, lie 1 and 2 miles ESE of Passage Rock.
Cleugh Rocks (13°37'N., 92°58'E.), about 1.5 miles SSW of the SW end of Landfall Island, lie on a reef, the W part of which dries 1.8m.
Passage Rock (13°36'N., 93°00'E.) awash, steep-to and marked by breakers, lies about 0.5 mile SE of Cleugh Rocks and almost in mid-channel.
Wedge Rock, about 1m high and fringed by a drying reef, lies 1.5 miles WNW of Cape Price. A shoal, with depths of 1.4 to 8.2m, lies 1 mile W of Wedge Rock. A 2 m high rock, surrounded by depths of less than 9.1m, lies 0.5 mile S of this shoal about 2.7 miles W of Cape Price.
One Fathom Patch (13°36'N., 93°02'E.), which breaks in heavy weather, has a least depth of 1.8m and lies 0.6 mile N of Cape Price. Depths of 6.4 to 11.9m lie between this danger and Cape Price. A 5m patch lies about 0.5 mile W of the Cape.
West Island (13°36'N., 92°54'E.), 17m high, reef-fringed, and densely wooded, lies in the W approach to Cleugh Passage about 3.5 miles NNW of Cape Thornhill. Depths of less than 9.1m lie up to 0.5 mile off the island. Several patches, with depths of 1.4 to 8 m lie between West Island and Wedge Rock.
West Coast of North Andaman Island
Between Cape Thornhill (13°32'N., 92°56'E.) and Shark Islet, about 22 miles SSW, the coast is backed some distance inland by many conspicuous summits.
Taylor Hill (13°26'N., 92°57'.8E.) about 6.3 miles SSE of Cape Thornhill, is a long, ill-defined summit, 194m high. D'Oyley Peak, 156m high and pointed, lies 8 miles S of the same cape. Tasou Hill, 214m high and having three summits of nearly equal height with only a slight dip between them, rises 6.5 miles farther SSW. Tradikeli Hill, 316m high, a sharp ridge with its peak at its S end, lies 8 miles S of D'Oyley Hill. Saddle North Peak, 732m high and having a flat top with a sharp peak at its N end, rises about 23 miles S of Cape Price. Saddle Hill, 736m high, lies 2.8 miles S of Saddle North Peak and has a rounded summit. The peak and the hill are covered with vegetation and appear saddle-shaped when viewed from the W or E.
Several conspicuous hills lie near the W coast of the island.
Brown's Hill, 91m high, lies 1 mile SE of Cape Thornhill. Jessop Hill, 106m high, lies on a point at the head of Hudson Bay about 15 miles SSW of the same cape. Lewis Hill, 94m high, lies on a peninsula separating the above bay from Casuarina Bay about 1.3 miles S of Jessop Hill. All of the above hills have twin summits.
Between Cape Thornhill and Bluff Point, about 4.5 miles SW, the coast is somewhat indented and lined with mangroves. The latter bold, cliffy point is 50m high, has an irregular summit, and appears as three peaks when viewed from the SSW.
Thornhill Island (13°32'N., 92°54'.5E.), 52m high, is separated from Cape Thornhill by a narrow, shallow channel.
White Cliff Island (13°32'.7N., 92°52'E.), 19m high, lies 1.5 miles W of Thornhill Island. Cliffs, 20m high and dark colored, back the N end of the island.
Reef Island (13°30'N., 92°53'E.) is 2.6m high to the tops of the trees. Shoal ground, as defined by the 6m curve, extends almost 1 mile WSW from the SW point of the island. Irregular depths of less than 18.3m lie up to 1.3 miles farther WSW.
Temple Sound (13°25'N., 92°51'E.) lies between Shearme Island on the E, and Paget and Point Islands on the N and W..Shearme Island is 57m high and, except in the narrow channel separating it from the mainland to the E, is fringed by a drying reef. Oldham Rocks, 3m high, lie about 0.5 mile NNE of the NW point of Shearme Island; Sugarloaf Island, a prominent conical rock, 19.8m high, lies about 1.5 miles SSW of the SW end of Shearme Island and on the SE side of the entrance of the sound.
Paget Island (13°26'N., 92°50'E.), about 0.8 mile NW of the NW end of Shearme Island, is 76m high to the tops of the trees and fringed by a drying reef on all except part of its E side. A spit, with depths of less than 5.5m, extends about 0.8 mile N from its NE point. Cliffs, about 30m high, line the SE side of Paget Island.


Point Island (13°24'N., 92°50'E.), about 0.5 mile SW of Paget Island, is tree-covered. A drying reef almost surrounds the island and extends about 0.3 mile from its N and SW sides. A least depth of 6.4m exists in the fairway of the channel separating Paget and Point Islands.
In the N approach to Temple Sound, between Paget Island to the W, and the coast between Bluff Point and Shearme Island to the E, there are several rocks, awash and sunken, and some shoals, the positions of which may best be seen on the area chart.
In the S approach, Bolton Shoal, which lies almost in mid-channel between the S end of Point Island, and Sugarloaf Island, 26m lies about 2.5 miles SSE, has a least depth of 8.6m.
A bank on which the depths are less than 18.3m, extends almost 1 mile SSE from the S end of Point Island and almost joins Bolton Shoal.
Anchorage, sheltered from all except SW winds, can be taken in depths of 18.3 to 21.9m, mud and sand, in the middle of the sound about midway between Shearme and Point Islands. Small vessels can anchor in a depth of 14.6m, about 0.3 mile W of Oldham Rocks.
The depths in Temple Sound are very irregular and caution is advised both when entering and when anchoring.
The coast between Point Stuart (13°22'N., 92°51'E.) and the W entrance of Austin Strait, about 29 miles to the S, is very irregular and fronted by numerous islets, rocks and shoals. Hudson Bay, entered about 5 miles S of Point Stuart and Casuarina Bay, 3 miles farther S, are both shallow and exposed to the W wind and seas.
Mackey Bank (13°20'N., 92°46'E.), with a least depth of 7.3m, lies about 6 miles SW of Point Island. Vessels should give this bank a wide berth when passing.
Shark Island (13°12'N., 92°46'E.), about 12.3 miles SSW of the same island, is sandy and covered with bushes about 7m high. A rocky reef surrounds this island. Vessels should give this island a wide berth when passing.
North Reef Island (13°05'N., 92°43'E.), low, flat, wooded and marshy, lies 6.5 miles SSW of Shark Island. A reef extends about 2 miles S from the S end of the island.
Latouche Island (13°05'N., 92°43'E.), lies close off the NE point of North Reef Island. A spit extends about 0.3 mile S from Latouche Island. A 3.7m patch lies about 1.5 miles SE of the E end of North Reef Island.
Union Ledge (13°32'N., 93°11'E.), almost awash, lies about 6.5 miles ESE of Pocock Island. It lies near the S extremity of an extensive bank on which the irregular depths are less than 36.6m. A patch, with depths of 11 to 14.6m, lies about 0.8 mile E, and a 5.5m patch lies almost 0.5 mile SSW of Union Ledge.
Pocock Island (13°34'N., 93°04'E.), 55m high and wooded, lies about 1.8 miles SSE of Cape Price. A rock, awash, lies near the S end of an area of foul ground which extends 0.3 mile S from the island. A drying rock lies 0.3 mile farther S.
A shoal, with a least depth of 5.5m, lies about 4 miles S of Pocock Island.

Beauchamp Reef (13°27'N., 93°04'E.), awash, lies almost 1 mile offshore about 6.5 miles S of Pocock Island.
Cadell Bay (13°26'N., 93°04'E.), entered between the S entrance point of Gibb Creek and Colvin Point about 2.8 miles SE, provides anchorage during the SW monsoon in depths of 11 to 12.8m, mud, in the middle of the bay.
Trilby Island lies 0.2 mile ENE of Colvin Point; Tree Islet, 12m high with some vegetation on it, lies 0.3 mile ENE of Trilby Island.
Bond Harbour (13°24'N., 93°04'E.), entered about 1 mile SSE of Colvin Point, provides anchorage to small craft in depths of 12.8 to 14.6m, mud and sand.
Table Islands (13°25'N., 93°07'E.) consist of Excelsior and Delgarno Islands, both tree-covered, which lie at the N and SW ends, respectively of an extensive shoal on which the depths are less than 5.5m.
Excelsior Island, 29m high, lies about 1.5 miles E of the coast and is fringed by a reef which extends about 0.3 mile from its NE side.
Delgarno Island (13°25'N., 93°06'E.), about 61m high, lies 0.8 mile SSW of Excelsior Island and has a clear sandy beach on its NW side and mangroves on its E and S sides. A reef extends about 0.4 mile S from the island.
Both islands are fairly steep-to on their W sides, but foul ground extends about 1 mile SE from Excelsior Island and the same distance E from Delgarno Island. Seaward of the foul ground, irregular depths extend about 1.3 miles E of Excelsior Island and 1.8 miles E of Delgarno Island.
North Passage Reef (13°26'N., 93°06'E.), which dries about 2.4m, lies about 0.5 mile W of Excelsior Island. The passage between this reef and Tree Islet, almost 0.5 mile to the W, is clear of dangers.
Mushroom Reef and Table Reef lie about 0.2 mile apart, 1.8 miles E of the S end of Delgarno Island. Both reefs dry and are usually visible.
South Passage Reef, which dries, lies in the passage between the Table Islands and North Andaman Island. A shoal spit extends about 0.4 mile ESE from the reef. Vessels using this passage should pass W of this reef.
Vessels passing E of the Table Islands should not shoal to depths of less than 36.6m.
From Tree Point (13°23'N., 93°05'E.), the coast extends 1.8 miles SW to the entrance of Thoroughfare Creek. This boat channel separates Smith Island from North Andaman Island and leads into Port Cornwallis.
Smith Island (13°20'N., 93°05'E.), 131m high, has a conspicuous tree on its summit. Mangrove Point, the E end of the island, is fronted by a drying reef that extends about 0.2 mile offshore. A 10.1m patch lies about 0.8 mile S of the point.
Temple Island, which forms the S entrance point of Thoroughfare Creek, lies 0.5 mile NE of the N end of Smith Island. A shelving reef extends about 0.3 mile from the E side of Temple Island. A drying ledge lies about 0.3 mile E of the same island.
Turtle Islands (13°22'N., 93°05'E.), two wooded islands about 18m and 28m high, lie 1.8 miles NNW of Mangrove Point. Turtle Reef, with a 1.2m high sandbank in its middle, lies 0.5 mile N of the islands. A 7.3m shoal lies 0.5 mile ESE of the reef.
The channel between the Turtle Islands and Smith Island is clear with a fairway depth of not less than 20.1m.
Back Bay, an open bight, lies between Mangrove Point and Ross Island, about 2 miles to the S. The shores of the bay are reef-fringed. Back Bay Shoal, with a least depth of 1.8m, lies.about 1 mile SE of Mangrove Point and breaks only in heavy weather. Back Bay Reef dries 1.5m and lies about 1 mile S of Mangrove Point. This reef is usually visible at HW, except when the sea is very smooth. Depths of 11 to 16m exist between Back Bay Shoal and Back Bay Reef.
Tree Island, in line bearing 341° with Cape Price, leads E of Back Bay Shoal. Hand Peak, in line bearing 235° with the SE side of Ross Island, leads SE of the same shoal.
Port Cornwallis (13°17'N., 93°05'E.)
Port Cornwallis is entered between Ross Island and
Dundas Point, about 1.8 miles SSW. Ross Island, 82.6m high, is connected to Smith Island by a sandy spit and is almost entirely surrounded by a drying reef. Dundas Point, sharp and rocky, is fronted by a drying reef which extends about 0.2m NNE from its extremity. The point rises to a height of 124m about 0.4 mile S of its extremity. Hand Peak, 232m high, sharp and wooded, lies 2.8 miles WSW of the same point. A 172m peak lies 1 mile SW of Dundas Point.
There are considerable depths in the entrance and within the harbour. The W part of the harbour is very shallow, but a narrow channel leads between Wharf Island and South Island and then SW into Blair Bay, a shallow extensive backwater.
Shoal ground, as defined by the 10m curve, extends almost 0.5 mile E, and a little over 0.3 mile S from Ross Island. North Reef, which dries 2.5m, lies about 0.3 mile SE of the island. A 5m patch lies close SE of the reef.
A shoal, with a least depth of 6.8m, lies 0.8 mile ENE of Dundas Point.
South Reef, which dries 2.4m, lies about 0.4 mile E and Middle Rock, 0.6m high, lies the same distance SSE of Dundas Point.
Depths of 6.3m and 12.3m lie about 1.3 miles and 1.8 miles, respectively, S of Dundas Point. A 1.2m shoal lies about 1 mile S of the same point. Shoals, with depths of 5 to 9.6m, lie between Middle Rock and the 6.4m patch.
Minerva Bay (13°19'N., 93°04'E.) is entered between Hood Point and Perseverence Point, about 1.8 miles NW. A bank, as defined by the 20m curve, extends 0.8 mile SE from the latter point, about halfway across the bay entrance. A rocky shoal, with depths of 10.5 to 16.5m, lies near the outer edge of this bank. A 14.2m patch lies almost 0.8 mile NW of Hood Point. A depth of 11.4m lies about 0.3 mile WNW of the same point.
Brush Islet (13°17'N., 93°04'E.), a reef-fringed islet about 6.1m high to the tops of the trees, lies almost in mid-channel about 1 mile SW of Hood Point. A spit, with shallow depths, extends 1 mile W from the islet. A lighted beacon lies on the NW side of Brush Islet.
Atalanta Bay (13°16'N., 93°04'E.) is entered between Dundas Point and Barkely Point, about 1.3 miles WNW. A shoal area, with depths of 2 to 11m, lies in the middle of the bay. A 9.6m patch lies 0.4 mile E of Barkely Point.
Ariel Bay is shallow and lies about 1.3 miles W of Barkely Point. An L-shaped jetty extends 0.2m N, then NE from Kopi Point, the E entrance point of the bay. In 1983, works were in progress close SW of Kopi Point.
Chatham Island (13°19'N., 93°02'E.), 61m high near its S end and 58m high near its N end, lies about 1 mile W of Perseverence Point.
Jungle Island (13°20'.5N., 93°03'E.), small and low, lies in the S entrance of Thoroughfare Creek, about 1 mile N of Perseverence Point. North Island, 66m high to the tops of the trees, lies 1 mile W of Jungle Island. Wharf and South Islands lie within 0.5 mile W of North Island. Shoal patches, with a least depth of 6.6m, lie between North and Chatham Islands.
Anchorage.-During the SW monsoon, anchorage can be taken in the entrance of Atalanta Bay. The best anchorage lies NE of Chatham Island in depths of 11 to 14.6m, mud, about midway between the S end of that island and Jungle Island. Anchorage can also be taken in depths of 21.9 to 23.8m, about 1 mile NW of Brush Islet.
Directions.-Vessels entering Port Cornwallis should keep Brush Island bearing 287° and in line with South Point, the S end of Chatham Island. When the NE end of the latter island bears 313° and is in line with the SW end of Wharf Island, course should be altered to that bearing. When abeam of Perseverence Point, course can be altered to the N for the anchorage.
The coast, between Dundas Point and Cadell Point, about 15 miles to the S, is not well charted. Craggy Island, which lies about 3 miles S of Dundas Point, is joined to the mainland by a reef. Small vessels with local knowledge can obtain good anchorage off the S side of this reef.
Saddle North Peak and Saddle Hill, both prominent, lie inland along this section of coast. Both have been previously described.
Sound Island (12°58'N., 92°59'E.) is an irregular-shaped island lying in the entrance of Stewart Sound. Above and below-water rocks extend about 0.5 mile NE from Simpson Point, the NE end of the island. Mitchell Point, the SE extremity of the island, is fringed by a drying reef that extends 0.3 mile SSW from it. Square Rock, 5m high and prominent, lies on the Wside of the outer part of the reef. A lighted beacon lies on Square Rock. Jones Point, the SW extremity of Sound Island, is fringed by a drying reef on which there is a ridge of rocks extending 0.4 mile S to SE. A rock, that dries 2.4m, lies near the end of this ridge.