Chowra I to Nancowry Hr – 408 (INT7446)

Chowra Island (8°27’N., 93°04’E.), which lies about 24 miles SSE of Batti Malv Island, is generally low but rises to a 81m high rocky pinnacle at its S end. The island looks like a hat from the offing. The principal village, lies on the NE coast.

Chowra island has been reported to be a good radar target up to 23 miles.

Reefs extend about 1.5 miles from the NW side of the island.
 
Tillanchang Island (8°31’N., 93°38’E.) lies with Cape Winifred its S end, about 34 miles E of Chowra Island.  Cape Maud (8°34’.5N, 93°36’.4E), its N point and Cape Winifred, its S point; the island average less than ½ miles in width. Maharani Peak, the highest of several peaks forming a jagged ridge along the length of the island, lies in the center of the island and attains an elevation of 250 m. Tillanchang island has been declared as a wild life sanctuary and hence restrictions exist here. The area has a good population of various snakes which make the place dangerous to venture into. A police  out post is under construction near the coast on the western side as the  island is prone to poaching. 

Tillanchang Island has been reported to be a good radar target up to 17 miles.

Paira Rock (8°35’N., 93°36’E.), 87m high, lies 0.5 mile NNW of Cape Maud, the N extremity of the island. Several detached rocks lie up to 1 mile off the W side of the island.

Isle of Man (8°24’N., 93°39’E.), a detached rock 111m high, lies about 2.8 miles SE of Cape Winifred. A chain of needle-like rocks lie between this rock and the cape.

Paria Rock has been reported to be a good radar target up to 19 miles.

Castle Bay (8°27’N., 93°38’E.), which lies on the SE coast of the island about 2 miles N of Cape Winifred, is deep and clear in its central part.

During fair weather, anchorage can be taken in depths of 25.6 to 27.4m with Castle Bay Point bearing 062°, distant a little over 0.5 mile.

Tarasa Island (8°18’N., 93°07’E.), roughly crescent-shaped and low in its central part, lies 6.5 miles SE of Chowra Island.  It appears as two separate islands from the offing. The N end of the island is 250 m high. Hinam Village lies 4.5 miles SSE of the N summit and is only visible from seaward on a NE bearing. Laksi Village, which consists of some huts amongst the trees, lies 4 miles SE of Hinam Village. The village is hard to identify from seaward.

 Bangala (8°18’.3N., 93°07’.3E)Village lies on the E side of the island about 2.5 miles S of its NE extremity. Two lattice towers one of BSNL and other Doordarshan with red and white horizontal bands are located near Bangala village.

Anchorage can be taken by small vessels with local knowledge close off Hinam Village in depths of 11 to 25.6m.  Small vessels can also anchor in a depth of 25.6m coral and coarse sand, SSW of Laksi Village, about 0.5 mile seaward of the coastal reef.

Small vessels with local knowledge sometimes anchor in a depth of 45.7m, about 0.5 mile off Bangala Village, with the NE end of the island bearing 006°, the E end bearing 146°, and the N end of Bompoka Island bearing 115°. This is a fair-weather anchorage.

Bompoka Island (8°14’N., 93°14’E.) lies 1.8 miles NE of the SE tip of Teressa Island and is 204m high. The intervening channel seaward of the fringing dangers is deep. Poahat Village lies on the W side of the island.

Small vessels with local knowledge can anchor about 0.3 mile offshore with the village in range 040° with the N peak of the island. Seaward of this position the depths decrease rapidly and caution is advised.

Camorta Island (8°09’N., 93°29’E.), separated from Tillanchong Island to the NNE by a channel about 12 miles wide, is very irregular in shape and hilly. A 52m hill lies close to the NE end of the island and a 186m high hill lies 1 mile N of the S end of the island. A 132m hill lies at the SE end of a range of hills that extends 4 miles SE from a position 1 mile SE of the NW end of the island. Mount Edgecumbe, a tree-covered hill 109m high, lies about 4.3 miles N of the S end of the island.

Several villages and huts lie along the shores of the island.

The W coast is indented by bays which form Dring Harbour and Expedition Harbour. Nancowry Island lies close S of and overlaps the S end of Camorta Island. Nancowry Harbour, a secure, land-locked inlet, lies between them.

The SE side of the island is separated from Trinkat Island by Beresford Channel. The E entrance of Nancowry Harbour lies between the SE end of Camorta Island and the NE end of Nancowry Island. The approach to this entrance leads through Beresford Channel.

Tides—Currents.—The tidal currents off the E coast of Camorta Island, between a position about 2 miles WNW of the NW end of that island and a position between the entrances of Expedition and Nancowry Harbours, set S on the flood and N on the ebb. At springs, the N current attains a rate of 3 knots about 2 to 3 miles offshore. The S current attains a rate of 0.8 to 1.3 knots. At neaps, the N current attains a rate of 0.8 to 1.3 knots and the S current a rate of 0.3 to 0.8 knot.

At springs, tide rips frequently occur at various places all along the coast at variable distances offshore.

The W coast of Camorta Island, between Horace Point and Kaihoa Village, almost 3.8 miles SW, is.reef-fringed up to 0.5 mile offshore. From the village the coast extends SW for 1.3 miles and then S for 7.5 miles to Cave Point, the N entrance point of Expedition Harbour. Dring Harbour, which is available only to boats, is entered 2.3 miles N of Cave Point.

A 22m shoal lies about 6.5 miles NW of Cave Point.

The coast, between Satellite Point, the S entrance point of Expedition Harbour, the S extremity of the island, is fringed by a narrow reef. 

Perseus Reef (8°10’N., 93°27’E.) extends about 0.8 mile W from the NW end of the island. A shoal, as defined by the 20m curve, extends about 1.8 miles NW from the same point.

Sanderson Rock (8°07’N., 93°27’E.), which has a least depth of 1.5m, lies about 2.3 miles NW of the entrance of Dring Harbour. The rock lies near the W extremity of a shallow shoal that extends 1.3 miles offshore.

Temporary anchorage can be taken almost anywhere off the W coast of Camorta Island, N of Exposition Harbour in depths of 18.3 to 36.6m, poor holding ground. Vessels anchoring S of the harbour are advised to anchor in depths of 36.6m.

Vessels can anchor off Kai-hoa Village in depths of 12.8 to 16.5m, about 1 mile offshore. Perseus Reef provides no protection during the SW monsoon.

Anchorage can be taken in depths of 17.4m off the entrance of Dring Harbour, about 0.7 mile W of the S entrance point, with that point bearing 089° and in line with a 64m hill near the head of the harbour. This is considered to be the best anchorage off this coast, because there is little or no current.

From the NE point of Camorta Island, about 1.5 miles E of Horace Point, the E coast of the island curves SSW and then SSE in a wide curve for about 8.5 miles and then S for 3.5 miles to Naval Point. This point forms the N side of the E entrance of Nancowry Harbour. An L-shaped jetty extends from a position close WNW of Naval Point, and has a depth of about 11m at its seaward end. A reef extends up to 1 mile offshore along this entire stretch of coast except off Moshoit Village, where it lies only 0.3 mile off. The village lies about 4 miles SSW of the NE point of the island. This coastal reef is readily seen under favourable light conditions.

Caution is necessary when approaching this coast between the NE end of Camorta Island and the N entrance of Beresford channel.
 
Trinkat Island (8°05’N., 93°35’E.), lies E of the S part of camorta island and is separated from the latter by Beresford channel. the island is fringed by reefs on all sides except at its N and NW side. the reefs is extremely shallow and dangerous for even small vessels. NW side of the island is marshy and inundated. Stumps of dead trees can be seen in the swamps.

Morel point (08°02’N., 93°35’E), is the S point of trinkant island and is 15m high. A light is exhibited from morel point from a white round masonary tower at an elevation of 11m high. On the S and SW side of the morel point, few rocks extend 200m offshore and may result in false radar range, especially during LW.

Anchorage may also be obtained about 2 miles E of the N extremity of Trinkant Island. However, local knowledge is necessary. The set is generally onshore and a close watch on anchor is advised.

Beresford Channel (8°07’N., 93°33’E.) is entered from the S through False Bay. Both shores are fronted by reefs and shoals that extend almost 0.8 mile offshore. A number of shoals, with depths of 5.5 to 11m, lie in the middle of the S part of the channel. The channel on both sides of Middle Reef, which lies about 3.5 miles NNW of Morrel Point, is about 183m wide. The W channel has depths of 7.6 to 25.6m and the E channel has depths of 5.8 to 20.1m. The area N of Trinkat Island has not been closely examined.

Expedition Harbour and Grand Harbour

Expedition Harbour (8°03’N., 93°30’E.) is landlocked, and together with Grand Harbour its extension to the NE, is of considerable size. A low, narrow peninsula separates Expedition Harbour from Nancowry Harbour to the S. The entrance of Expedition Harbour lies between Cave Point and Satellite Point, about 0.3 mile SSE.

The S and E sides of the harbour are indented by coves, fringed by reefs and mangroves. 

Grand Harbour is entered between Edye Point, the N end of the promontory separating Grand Harbour from Expedition Harbour, and a point about 0.3 mile to the N. The harbour is about 2 miles long in a N and S direction. Two creeks indent the E shore. The bay at the N of the harbour is foul.

Directions. Vessels wishing to enter Expedition Harbour are advised to wait until the sun is high, and is possible to enter at LW, when all the fringing reefs and dangers are visible.  Vessels approaching from the N or S should keep at least 1 mile off the coast until abeam of the entrance. 

Nancowry Harbour (8°01’N., 93°31’E.)
Nancowry Harbour (8°01’N., 93°31’E.) lies between the S coast of Camorta Island and the N coast of Nancowry Island. This spacious, landlocked harbour is deeply indented by several bays and inlets. The harbour can be entered by deep-draft vessels either through the E or W entrance during either monsoon to take sheltered anchorage. Both entrances are readily identified from the offing. The harbor consists of four bays, Satellite Bay and Fort Bay on the N side, and Wasp Bay and Spiteful Bay on the S side. Cross Harbor lies between Fort Bay to the N and Spiteful Bay to the S.

Nancowry Harbor has been reported to be a good radar target up to 25 miles.

Tides—Currents.—The tidal currents set E on the flood and W on the ebb. These currents have considerable strength in the entrances, but are very weak within the harbor. Between Man Point and Indian Point the currents are very strong on both tides.

Depths—Limitations.—The depths in the W entrance are over 18.3m and the depths in the E entrance range from 11 to 42m. A depth of 22m exists in the three recommended anchorage areas.

West Entrance.—The W entrance of the harbor lies between Reef Point and Man Point on the N side and Burleigh Rock and Indian Point on the S side. The latter point, which forms the NW extremity of Nancowry Island, lies NE of Burleigh Rock.  The W entrance can be identified by vessels up to 5 miles offshore by the trend of the coast inland to form its S side. Reef Point can be identified by a white mark on it and would otherwise be very difficult to identify. This mark cannot be relied on. Man Point is also difficult to identify. There is a least depth of 11.9m in the fairway of the entrance which is about 183m between the dangers on each side.

East Entrance Approaches.—The approach to the E entrance lies between Morrel Point, the S extremity of Trinkat Island to the NE, and Laire and Reid Points to the SW. The latter two points lie on the NE coast of Nancowry Island. Trinkat Island is easily distinguished from Camorta Island, which is higher and more open.

A disc beacon lies on Reid Point and a similar beacon lies about 91m NNW of Morrel Point.

The coast between Laire Point and Reid Point is fronted by an extensive reef which extends up to 0.5 mile offshore. The edge of this reef, except at HW and on very calm days, is marked by breakers.

A shoal, with a least depth of 5.6m lies on the edge of the shore bank, about 0.4 mile ENE of Reid Point. A 9.8m patch lies near the center of the channel about 0.5 mile NE of the same point.

Eastern Shoals (8°02’N., 93°34’E.), a large shoal area with depths of less than 11m, extends from 1 mile SSW to 1 mile WSW of Morrel Point. Depths of 7.6 and 8.5m lie close within the outer edge of Eastern Shoals.

East Entrance.—The E entrance of Nancowry Harbor lies between Naval Point to the N, and between Reid and Mayo Points to the S. A beacon lies on Mayo Point.

Naval Point Light shows from a structure 0.2 mile S of Naval Point (8°02’N., 93°22’E.).

The entrance channel, which is about 0.2 mile wide between the fringing dangers on either side, has a least depth of 11m.

Directions—East Entrance.—Vessels approaching the E entrance should keep Reid Point bearing 281° and in line with Alfred Point. This course leads S of Easter Point. When the right tangent of Trinkat Island bears 034°, the course should be altered N to bring Bay Point Beacon to bear 309° and kept on that bearing which leads NE of the reef fronting the coast between Laire and Reid Points.

When Mayo Point bears 261°, the course should be altered to 268° to pass midway between Naval Point and the N shore of Nancowry Island, about 0.5 mile S. This track passes 183m S of a shoal with 5.6m of water above, situated 0.5 mile SE of Naval Point and 0.2 mile N of another shoal with a depth of 6.7m on the S side of the entrance. When clear of Mayo Point, course can be altered to the N to clear the spit extending NW from Mayo Point. Anchorage can be taken, as convenient, in Fort Bay.

Nancowry Harbour (8°01’N., 93°31’E.), although providing excellent shelter for all classes of vessels, has but few facilities.  The residence of the Government Agent lies about 0.3 mile WNW of Naval Point.

A stone jetty, 118.9m long, with wooden extension projecting about 100m SW and W from its head, lies about 0.3 mile WNW of Naval Point. There are depths of about 11m at the outer end of the jetty. The approach to the jetty requires much attention as there are shoals and rocks in the vicinity.
A wooden jetty, 71.6m long and 6.1m wide, extends in a W direction from the shore about 0.2 mile SSW of Mayo Point.

Nicobar Islands—Central Group
Katchall Island, forming the SW side of Revello channel, is covered with forest; its summit katchall, 227 m high stands at the middle of the island. Depths off the W coast are very irregular.a light is exhibited on a red and white  metal trestle tower, 24m in height, on the N entrance point of east bay at Kapanga Point.

Katchall Island has been reported to be a good radar target up to 18 miles.

Depths off the W side of the island are very irregular. Some 16.5 to 18.3m patches lie up to 4 miles off this coast.

West Bay (7°55’N., 93°20’E.) deeply indents the W side of the island and is foul in its inner reaches. It has been reported that a SW swell occasionally sets into the bay during the NE monsoon and that the tidal currents attain a rate of 2 knots across the entrance. A light shows from a concrete tower, 11m high, situated on the N entrance point of West Bay..91 Vessels with local knowledge can anchor in a depth of 16.5m about 1 mile SSW of the NW entrance point. The bay should not be entered without local language. A light is exhibited on a black and white metal trestle tower, 17 m in height, on the N end of the west bay and is conspicuous on the western side.

South Bay (7°53’N., 93°24’E.) indents the S coast of the island close W of its S end. The bay should not be entered because of the rocks and foul ground found within its limits. It has been reported that Cape Albany, the S end of the island, had extended 0.2 mile farther S then charted.

East Bay (7°59’N., 93°25’E.),
lying between its S entrance point 6 miles NNW of cape Albany and point 2½ miles farther NNW, is backed by steep rising ground and by Katchall, the island summit. The bay is encumbered with shoals with shoals with depths less than 1.5m, a rocky patch with a depth of 0.5 m lies 4.5 cables NNW of the S entrance point. A jetty constructed post tsunami exists 1½ miles SW of the light house. A single mooring bouy suitable for small crafts also exists 5 cables SW of the light house.

Hoinipoh Bay (7°58’N., 93°26’E.), a slight indentation, lies close S of the S entrance point of East Bay. Anchorage can be taken in depths of 21.9 to 23.8m with a conspicuous hut in the village bearing 256°, distant 0.5 mile. The bay is often visited by trading vessels.

Jansing bay a small bight on the NW side exist 3 nm NW  of the west bay. Good anchorage may be obtained 1¾ miles NW of the bay in 25 m of water.
North bay lying on the north tip of katchall island is fringed by cliff on either side.