Coll 30/62 'Persian Gulf. Bahrain. Provision of Lightship for Bahrain Harbour' [‎22r] (43/96)

Hearing that the NEARCHUS of Basrah Port Authority
would he laying the buoys in the near future and observing that
the two outer positions were well out of sight of land I got the
B.P.C. to construct two mark buoys which Captain Nelson met the
ship with last Wednesday evening. He was taken out and
transferred at the outer end of the channel to the EL SEGUNDO who
ha^ened to arrive on the Thursday. I then laid the two mark
buoys accurately in positions for the outer buoys to be, my idea
being that it seemed such a pity to lose such positions and that
without such mark buoys the NEARCHUS, presumably on star sights,
might be a mile or more out with the result that the tankers might
ply quite a different channel to that sounded.
I am uncertain whose is the responsibility for assigning
the final positions for the buoys nor could the B.P.C. help me
yesterday. They said however that they would send a blue print
of my tracing by Air Mail to Hamilton, their representative in
London, in the event of the decision on buoy positions having to be
made there. Meanwhile the S.N.O. being at Basrah I have informed
him of the existence of the mark buoys and asked him to inform
the Port Authority, so that they may if they wish take advantage
of them. Perhaps it is too much to hope.
The second mark buoy has been laid about 4 miles 206°
from its proposed position half way down the channel, in order to
guard a 33 feet shoal to the eastward of it. This was the
shoalest water found.
My main reason for writing Air Mail is to acquaint you
of the possibility of your being shown a blue print of our work
before the official tracing is received. The latter is in hand
but it is not proposed to send it Air Mail.
This is being our worst shamal. The visibility is 2 to
3 miles and the wind a very good force 7. Our anchorage about 1
mile east of Kassar Diwan rock is however sheltered^nd preferable
to Bahrain harbour. Doubt if the wind can last long at such
strength and I hope to be able to recover beacons on Monday and
return to the Main Survey. I shall be able to check whether the
mark buoys have dragged though they are well anchored.
I have a provisional idea of remaining in the Gulf until
Friday 13th April td make the time on the main survey long enough
to be worth while but that is about the limit of our coal supply.
I shall try not to expect to achieve too much as it is doubtful if
we shall get the required clear weather.
Yours sincerely,
(Sd.) A. DAY.