Anchorage
ANCHORAGE
Safe anchorage can be found in depths of 10-35 m within the Harbor. The bottom is composed of sand and mud and the holding is good. The location is exposed to wind primarily from a southerly direction and not exposed to high seas. The Pilots indicated during the Site Visit in November 2002 that 17-21 kt winds or above could cause a ship to drag anchor.
Anchorages are located in the north, south, and west. The Quarantine Anchorage, also referred to as the Medical Examination Anchorage on NIMA Chart # 83572, is centered at about 18°07.6'S 178°25.1'E and is 0.5 nmi northwest of King's Wharf. Depth is 65.6 ft (20 m). The West Anchorage is located at approximately 18°07.7'S 178°23.7'E with a depth of 98.4 ft (30 m) and the South Anchorage is at 18°08.4'S 178°24.8'E with a depth of about 49.2 ft (15 m). The Cable Anchorage is located at about 18°08.1'S 178°24.8'E with a depth of 65.6 ft (20 m) and is the anchorage normally used by visiting submarines. Note that the swing circle for the Western Anchorage may fall close to the Suva Entrance Channel.
For ships at anchor, liberty boats normally take 5 to 10 minutes from the ships to one of the Fleet Landings. Water taxis normally run between 0700-2400 to the Fiji Navy Base ramp or to the Fleet Landing on the landward end of Princes Wharf. See Figure II-13.
There are 12 mooring buoys in the Port. Four are in southern part and five in the northern part of the Harbor. Three are in Draunibata Bay that is considered a hurricane haven for small boats. The mooring buoys can be used by fishing boats and other small vessels (up to 50 m in length) but are not considered strong enough for Navy ships during strong winds or hurricanes.
Source: http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/port_studies/thh-nc/fiji/suva/text/sect4.htm
