Ponnani port (W India)

The coast between Beypore and Ponnani, about 24 miles SSE, is low, sandy, fringed with palms, and backed by red laterite hills.
A light is shown at Tanur, an important fishing village, about 11.5 miles SSE of Beypore. A tableland, covered with palms, lies about 1 mile NE of the village. A tableland, about 90m high, with a few scattered trees, lies about 9 miles N of Ponnani.

Ponnani, a busy seaport for local craft, lies on the S side of the entrance to the Ponnani River. The port is closed during the Southwest Monsoon, and is in charge of a Port Conservator responsible to the Port Officer at Calicut (Kozhikode).

The extensive backwater of the Ponnani River forms a wide gap in the line of palms when viewed from WSW.
The entrance of the river is wooded and prominent from the S.

Ponnani Light is shown from a white, round, concrete tower with black bands, 0.8 mile S of the river entrance. The bar of the Ponnani River has a depth of not more than 2.1m, but small vessels with local knowledge can enter it at HW. There are some unlicensed pilots available.

Storm signals are shown at Ponnani; the Brief System is used.

The town of Chetwai lies about 1.5 miles within the entrance to a backwater. The existence of the boundary pillars N and S of the backwater entrance is doubtful. Chetwai Light is shown from a 30m high circular concrete tower, lying 1.5 miles N of the boundary pillar.

Anchorage can be taken by small vessels, in 11m, mud, off the entrance to the backwater; local knowledge is necessary.

Tel: 91-471-324533
Fax:91-471-324842