Page 90 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

48 KENN.

The anchorage for ships is in six fathoms, sand, three-quarters of a
mile or a mile off shore, and, though exposed to south-east winds, is
safer than that on the other sides of the island, from the circumstance
of its not being a lee-shore during any of the prevailing winds.
In consequence of the whole being quite an open and exposed shore,
without any. harbours to shelter boats or ships, great inconvenience is
likely to arise from the difficulty of communication during strong, or
even moderate breezes, blowing directly on the shore, which would
cause much surf on it, and, considering the badness of the anchorage
ground, would also often oblige them to take shelter under the lee sides
of the island.
Having experienced, during our stay at the island, the variable
quality of the water in the wells, we feel a doubt whether any of it
would continue good during the whole season.
Almost every part of the beach of the island is covered with a
quantity of sea-weed, and, from its long exposure, we found a very
offensive effluvium emitted from it. From the abundance of it on the
rocky shelf which surrounds the coast, it will continually be washed up
by the sea, and, it is presumed, must prove highly prejudicial to health,
unless removed when necessary.