‘Cyprus.’ [‎37r] (73/184)

DESCRIPTION OF THE COAST, ETC.
67
three-quarters of a knot per hour. About four and five miles
northward of Cape Greco, nearly one mile from the shore, and
one mile apart, are two rocks with three fathoms over them.
Vessels running for the anchorage off Famagusta must be careful
not to bring Cape Greco to the eastward of south three-quarters
east until past these dangers.
The coast trends west from Cape Greco for 14 miles to Cape
Pila, the shore is rocky, but has one or two coves where a landing
from boats can be effected. Cape Pila is tolerably high and bold;
it is easily recognized by a ruined tower on it.
After Cape Pila the coast forms a large curve to the southward,
and encloses the Bay of Larnaca, on the west side of which is the
town of the same name. Here there is no harbour, but the
anchorage in the bay, though open to winds from south-west by
south to east, is safe even during the winter season (when south
east gales prevail) for vessels with good anchors and cables, but
the short sea, and heavy swell that runs into the bay at these
times, renders the anchorage very uncomfortable, and, except in
cases of necessity, it is not to be recommended at that season.
That part of the town of Larnaca which extends along the beach is
called the Marina, the rest of the town is about three-quarters of a
mile inland. Vessels usually anchor off the northern part of the
Marina in from 12 to 18 fathoms, here the bottom is soft mud and
good holding; inside 10 fathoms the bottom is in some parts hard
and bad holding ground. With strong south-east winds, the sea
often breaks in five or six fathoms of water, and a heavy surf on
the beach renders landing in such a case both difficult and dan
gerous. The Larnaca Bay anchorage is however very safe in the
spring and summer months, when north-west winds as a rule
prevail. Tire mouth of the Bay is 17 miles wide from Cape
Pila to Cape Kiti, and it enters the land about seven miles.
Tire shore varies considerably in different parts: from Cape
Pila westward for nine miles, it is rocky with a few outlying
rocks close off it; then for six miles from a ruined fort called
Yeni Kale to Larnaca, it is a sandy beach backed by a slight eleva
tion on which are several villages ; from Larnaca southward for
seven miles to Cape Kiti is a stony and shingly beach, at the back
of which is an extensive plain, with a series of large salt lagoons
lying parallel and close to the shore.
From a mast on a white house situated 165 yards northward of
the Lazaretto is exhibited, at an elevation of 46 feet, a fixed red
light, visible four miles in clear weather.
Cape Kiti, the southern extremity of Larnaca Bay, is low
and flat, but is easily distinguished by a square tower 73 feet above
the sea, built on a slight elevation one mile to the northward
of it.
In 1864 a fixed white light was established 90 yards from the
extremity of Cape Kiti on a mast on a white house ; it is elevated
92 feet, and is visible eight miles in clear weather.
All the coast hereabouts is skirted by shoal water, and vessels
coming from the southward should .not approach Cape Kiti within
one and a quarter miles, there being only five fathoms at that dis-
(774) E 2
Larnaca.
Larnaca
Light.
The coast
from Larnaca
to Limasol.
Kiti Light.