KALPENI AND CHERIYAM ISLANDS
CHART NO 2035

Kalpeni Island
General information:

2.508
Position:
Kalpeni Island (10º 06' N, 73º 39' E) is the SE island of Lakshadweep.

Description: 
The atoll consists of two islands; low  and narrow, standing on the E side of a reef enclosing a lagoon. For further description see 2.478.

Kalpeni Island  is densely covered with coconut palms of about 30 m height.

Cheriyam Island is also covered with palm trees.

Industry:
Coconuts and coir rope, made from the coconut fibre, are exported to the mainland.

Depths:
Particularly around Cheriyam Island, barrier reef is steep-to and the sea breaks heavily on it. A steep-to bank with depths between 10 
and 20 m extends about 5 cables S from the S end of Kalpeni Island; a similar bank extends N from the N end of Cheriyam Island.

Traffic:
Three international vessels with a total dwt of 3431 visited the island in 1996.

Tidal streams:
North of Cheriyam Island the in-going stream sets NW and the out-going NE, each with a rate of about 1 kn.

Landmarks:
Kalpeni Island Lighthouse (white round stone tower, black bands, 41 m in height) (10º  04'.9 N, 73º 38'.9 E), stands on Kalpeni Island about 11/2 miles 
N of its S extremity.

Bungalow (10º 04'.2 N, 73º 38'.9 E).

Mosque (3 m in height) (10º 03'.5 N, 73º 38'.4 E).

Major light:

Kalpeni Island Light-as above.

Lagoon:
Depths within the lagoon are generally shallow and much of its S part dries; less water than charted have been reported.

There is a jetty on the W side of Kalpeni Island, about 31/2 cables SSW of Kalpeni Light.

A boat channel leads into the lagoon in the vicinity of Cheriyam Island, for which, local knowledge is required.

Anchorage may be found in a depth of 9 m, sand and coral, about 7 cables N of Cheriyam Island, as shown on the chart.

In the month of March, anchorage has been found S of Kalpeni Island, about 31/2 cables offshore, in a depth of 12.8 m, coral and rock.

Landing is possible, in favourable conditions, on the E side of Kalpeni Island in the vicinity of the bungalow mentioned above.