4173 - Katchall Island (Western Portion)

Katchall Island (7°56´N, 93°22´E) is separated from Camorta and Nancowry islands to the by Revello Channel, which is about 3.8 miles wide and apparently free from dangers except for a detached 12.8 m patch which lies about 4.5 miles NE of the SE end of Katchall Island. The island is densely wooded and rises to a height of 254 m in its central part. 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. Katchall Island, forming the SW side of Revello Channel, is covered with forest; its summit Katchall, 227m high stands at the middle of the island. Depths off the W coast are very irregular. 

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. Katchall West Bay light(F1223.4) is a lattice tower ,12 m  high with green and white colour.Vessels with local knowledge can anchor in a depth of 16.5m about 1 mile SSW of the NW entrance point. 

West Bay, a large bight on the SW side of the island is foul in its inner part and in parts of its entrance. However, Anchorage  may be obtained in a depth of 16m  about 1 mile SSW of its NW entrance point; the bay should not be entered without local knowledge.	Tidal Streams across the entrance of West Bay attain a rate of 2 knots.
	Jansing bay a small bight on the NW side exists 3 nm NW of the West bay. Good anchorage may be obtained 13/4 miles NW of the bay in 25 m of water.
	North bay lying on the north tip of Katchallisland is fringed by rocky cliffs on either 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.), backed by steep cliffs and Katchall Peak, indents the NE side of the island. Numerous rocks and foul ground encumber the bay and lie up to 1.5 miles off its shores. The depths in the bay range from a few feet to more than 36.6m. 

East Bay, lying between its S entrance point 6 miles NNW of Cape Albany and point 2 ½ miles farther NNW, is backed by steep rising ground and by Katchall, the island summit. The bay is encumbered with shoals with depths less than 1.5 m, 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 in east Bay.

Hoinipoh Bay Hoinipoh Bay, a slight bight ¾ mile SE of the S entrance point of East Bay, affords good anchorage in a depth less than 20m with Hoinipoh village bearing about SE distance 5.4 cables. The Bay has good landing and is much frequented by trading vessels. Another village Mupayala lies 1 mile SE of Hoinipoh.
	Cape Albany (7° 52'.5N, 93° 27'.2E), the Southern most point of Katchall Island, South Bay, on its W side is encumbered with rocks and foul ground and should not be entered.




Sombrero ChannelSombrero Channel, separating the central and S group of Nicobar Islands, lies between Katchall Island, and Nancowry Island in the N and Meroe Island (7° 31'N, 93° 32'.2E), in the S. The depth in this channel are irregular and reach over 500m in mid channel.
	A 22m patch, yellow clay, lies in the W approach to Sombrero Channel 12 miles WSW of Cape Albany and there may be other shoal patches in the vicinity.
	A detached coral bank, with depths of 17m to 31m, lies in the N part of Sombrero Channel with its N edge 3 miles SSE of Cape Albany. 
	Dangers in the S part of Sombrero Channel are described subsequently.
	Tidal Streams in Sombrero Channel set NW with the rising tide and SE with the falling tide and are reported to attain a rate at springs of up to 5 knots in places.

Miroe Island (7°31'N., 93°32'E.), low and small, lies 10.5 miles WNW of Sombrero Point. The island has been reported to be a good radar target up to 19 miles. 

Cape Connaught (7° 55'.8N, 93° 34'.2E), the S point of Nancowry Island, lies 6 miles SE of the entrance to Nancowry Harbour. A rock, 1m high, stands on a reef extending 3 cables SE from the cape. There is a Grey colored masonry square tower of 12m height with black bands which lies at Cape Connaght. 	Revello Channel separates Camotra and Nancowry Islands from Katchell Island and is about 4 mile wide.