CHART NO. 2552
CHART NAME WESTERN APPROACHES TO MAHE ISLAND

Position and Topography:
Seychelles group and the outlying islands form an archipelago of 115 islands. The group itself is granitic and hilly with elevations up to 905 m. The islands are fringed in places by islets and rocks and bordered by extensive 
coral reefs. The outlying islands are coralline and low lying consisting of sand cays or raised reefs. Some are waterless.

Waters over Seychelles bank are moderately deep but many shoals and patches are charted on it especially around the edge of the bank. The extremities of banks are mainly of coral, but many of pinnacles around the island on the 
bank are granitic.

Weather
Winds:
From April to November the SE trade Wind sometimes called the southeast monsoons in this area prevails. For the rest of the year the NW monsoon prevails. 

Currents:
The area lies within the variable limits of the equatorial Counter current and South Equatorial current. From December to April the equatorial counter current sets e over Seychelles Bank. it is of high constancy with an 
average rate of 1-2 knots.

At the end of the period the w going South equatorial Current begins to move N so that between April and July, The current although much influenced by the winds tends to set E in the N and W in the S.
By July the W going S equatorial Current covers the whole bank and persists until October, with an average rate of 1 knot.

In October the E going Equatorial Counter Current returns to the N part of the bank and gradually replaces the W going current so that during November, it covers the entire bank.
Conditions In November and October thus resemble those from April to June. During December the equatorial counter current again becomes predominant.

Regulations:
Area to be avoided. Two areas adopted by the IMO as an environment protection measure, have been established on Seychelles Bank, and these are separated by a N/S channel varring from 6 to 20 miles in width. This permits access to 
port of Victoria on the east coast of Mahe, which lies within the W area. Vessels of more than 200 gt whether bound for ports in the Seychelles or on passage, should avoid these restricted areas.

No Vessels may call at any island of Seychelles Group unless permission has been obtained from Port Victoria.
	
Quarantine:
Pratique is normally only granted at Victoria, Where Medical officer visits on boards, but clearance may be given at other islands, by prior arrangements.
Ballast water exchange areas have been established to w of the N and S approaches to the Seychelles.



Directions:
Two areas adopted by the IMO as an environment protection measure, have been established on Seychelles Bank, and these are separated by a N/S channel varring from 6 to 20 miles in width. This permits access to port of Victoria 
on the east coast of Mahe, which lies within the W area. Vessels of more than 200 gt whether bound for ports in the Seychelles or on passage, should avoid these restricted areas.

Vessels approaching from W side for Mahe Island being of 200gt or less may transit the Charted ATBA (Area to be avoided).

From vicinity of 04°33'S 53°50'E, the track which passes through the ATBA, crosses the edge of Seychelles Bank SW of Hermes Bank and leads E passing from
Hermes bank (04°30'.60S 54°05'10E) two miles S, then 
N of 49 m Patch (04°33'.50S 55°13'90E), then to;
N of Requin Bank(04°34'.09S 55°21'98E), formed of coral over which a second fishery raft is moored then;

To a position 1.5 miles N of North Point.
In addition to the numerous charted dangers on Seychelles Bank, Others may exist, particularly on the rim of bank. When crossing the bank great caution should be exercised

Useful Marks:
Pointe Matoopa(Cape Ternay) Light (04°38'.38S 55°22'.02E)
Mamelles Light (04°29'.00S 55°32'.40E)