Angria Bank

Angria Bank
Submerged bank Angria Bank (India)
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
Languages
• Official	Marathi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)

Angria Bank is a bank, a shallow sunken atoll, on the continental shelf off the west coast of India. It is located 105 km (65 mi) west of Vijaydurg, Maharashtra.

The name Angria Bank is derived from the name of one of the most successful Naval Admirals of Maratha King Chatrapati Shivaji viz. Kanhoji Angre, whose name was spelled Cunhojee Angria in British documents. Angre was based at Vijaydurg Fort and hence the name.

Geography

The bank is at a depth of 20.1 metres and its dimensions are 40 km (25 mi) from north to south and 15 km (9 mi) from east to west. It is a coral habitat. The bottom is composed of sand, shells, and coral. The bank is steep-to on all sides, with great depths surrounding it.

Angria Bank is located 200 km to the north of Adas Bank, a similar submerged feature off the coast of Goa.

Tourism

As of 2008, Angria Bank is accessible by tourists by a two-hour boat ride from Malvan, Maharashtra. In 2008, Maharashtra state Finance Minister Jayant Patil announced a Rs 50 million initiative to explore Angria Bank to determine the feasibility of further marine tourism in the area.

First ever underwater scientific expedition was carried out by well known marine biologist Dr. Sarang Kulkarni in April, 2010 which revealed the high biodiversity of corals and associated flora and fauna of Angria Bank.

Further reading

• William Henry Rosser, James Frederick Imray. The Seaman's Guide to the Navigation of the Indian Ocean and China Sea Including a Description of the Wind, Storms, Tides, Currents, &c., Sailing Directions; a Full Account of All the Islands; with Notes on Making Passages During the Different Seasons. J. Imray & Son, 1867. p. 412.
• Alfred Dundas Taylor, James Horsburgh. The India directory, for the guidance of commanders of steamers and sailing vessels, founded upon the work of J. Horsburgh. W.H. Allen & Co., 1874. p. 299.