takes place along the south shore where the harbor is rather constricted 

 and shoal. Off Jazirat Faylakah sorting is probably dependent on wave 

 and surf action rather than on current action, the most effective agent 

 being the relatively long waves (swell) originating in the southern part 

 of the Persian Gulf. These swells occur with significant frequency only 

 in the winter months; during the remainder of the year the area south 

 of Jazirat Faylakah remains relatively quiet. The extensive shoal and 

 the predominance of mud here seem to suggest that this area is a 

 settling basin for fine suspended particles. 



The bathymetry of the Kuwait Harbor area is presented in two 

 charts, Figures 13 and 14 ; Figure 13 is of Kuwait Harbor proper; 

 Figure 14 shows the approach area. The analysis is for 2-fathom 

 intervals (beginning with 1 fathom) and is based on data obtained from 

 a fine grid of sounding lines. The latest hydrographic charts for this 

 area, H. O. Charts No. 3668, Kuwait Harbor, scale 1:50,000, and No. 

 3654, Ras al Buraisha to Fahihil, scale 1:100,000, provide additional 

 detail with a dense coverage of individual soundings. The bathymetric 

 pattern in Figure 14 shows well the advance of silt deposition into 

 the area south of Jazirat Faylakah. Here, the mud bottom extends 

 in a long apron south of the island terminating at about the 5-fathom 

 isobath where the bottom slope steepens considerably to 15 fathoms. 

 This mud shoal also extends northwest in a wide strip along the 

 north side of Kuwait Harbor to the head of the embayment. 



The deeper areas remain fairly close to the Arabian shore and 

 form a right angle into Kuwait Harbor. The greatest depths (17 fathoms) 

 are off Fahihil and are merely an extension of the general bottom 

 structure of the Persian Gulf. These shoal northward to a slight 

 sill about 9 1/2 fathoms deep just southeast of Ras al Ardh; a second 

 depression (13 to 14 fathoms) forms an arc around Ras al Ardh. This 

 deep water entrance to Kuwait Harbor is continuously maintained by 

 the strong tidal currents. West of Ras al Ardh in the harbor proper, 

 depths shoal considerably; shoaling is especially marked in the bights 

 on either side of the town of Kuwait. Near the head of Kuwait Harbor 

 soundings reveal a third shallow platter- shaped depressionin the bottom 

 with a maximum depth of slightly more than 6 fathoms. 



VI. Tides 



Tidal data are requisite to all hydrographic survey work. Accordingly, 

 the installation of a tide gauge was undertaken immediately upon arrival 

 of the survey ships in the Kuwait area. Following is a description of 

 the installation and a summary of information from the reduced tide 

 records. The original tapes and data were forwarded to the U. S. 



