Jafarabad Port

Chart 2056
General information
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Position. Jafarabad Harbour (20º 52' N, 71º 23' E) is situated in a shallow bay, approximately 1 mile across, at the entrance to Jafarabad Creek.
Function. Jafarabad, a minor commercial port and fishing harbour, is open throughout the year. The main exports are salt and clinker.
Topography. On the W bank of Jafarabad creek, Jafarabad town is standing, on rising ground about 
1 mile inland; the town is visible from E and S over the intervening ground.
Traffic. The port is primarily used by local vessels and by foreign going vessels occasionally.
Tidal levels
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Mean spring range about 1.9 m; mean neap range about 0.7 m. See information in Tide Tables.
Pilotage
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Pilotage information can be obtained from the Port Officer; however, pilotage is not compulsory.
Harbour 
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General layout. Being terminated in an L-shaped jetty; the E breakwater extends about 6 cables WSW from the shore near a cement factory situated on the E side of the harbour; a second breakwater extends about 3 cables ENE from the SW entrance point of the bay.
Approach. A channel about 40 m wide leads across the bar to a basin, 300 m in diameter, which surrounds the L-shaped jetty.
Depths. It is reported that there is a dredged depth of 5.5 m in the basin and its approach channel; elsewhere within the breakwaters the depth is shallow and much of the enclosed area dries.
Storm signals are displayed from near Jafarabad Lighthouse (20º 51'.4 N, 71º 22'.9 E) by using the brief system. See 1.48.
Tidal streams. Outside of Jafarabad Harbour, along the coast, the in-going tidal stream sets E and the out-going sets W.
The in-going stream at springs, persists for 1 hour after high water and the out-going stream continues until 4 hours before the time of the following high water; both streams attain a maximum rate of 4 kn when 3 hours old.
The in-going stream at neaps persists for about  30 minutes after the time of high water and the out-going stream until 4½ hours before the time of the next high water; the maximum rate of the in-going stream is 1¾ kn and that of the out-going stream 1½ kn.
At neaps the stream changes from in-going to out-going in an anticlockwise direction and from out-going to in-going in a clockwise direction.
Landmarks: 
Tower (20º 52'.1 N, 71º 23'.9 E) (8.72).

Directions
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Leading lights:
Front light (metal framework tower on concrete platform, elevation 17 m)  (20º 52'.4 N, 71º 22'.8 E).
Rear light (same construction, elevation 23 m)     (120 m NW of front light).
The alignment (about 322º) of these lights lead, in the approach channel and across the bar, to the berth at the head of the E breakwater.
Useful marks positioned from the light, (metal frame work tower on concrete platform, elevation 17 m) 
(20º 51'.6 N, 71º 23'.3 E), standing at the head of W breakwater:
An auxiliary light (3 cables SW) is exhibited from a low rectangular hut situated on the SW entrance point.
Flagstaff (1¼ miles WNW) which stands on the highest of several round towers near the centre of the town of Jafarabad.
Berths
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Anchorage. Vessels can anchor comfortably, 5 cables SE of the auxiliary light structure, in fine weather, in depths of about 13 m, soft mud.
Berth. The clinker berth, generally used by small vessels, located at the W end of E breakwater, is about 200 m long. Local knowledge is required to use it. The depth along side the berth is reported (2004) to be 1.2 metres.
Port services
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Supplies: limited fresh provisions.
Communication: During the fine weather season, a regular communication with Bombay and Bhavnagar by sea.