Persian Gulf

The Persian Gulf, also known as the Arabian Gulf, is an extension of the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Hormuz.
The sea is located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsular and is orientated Northwest to Southeast.

It is 540 nautical miles (1000 km) in length and 188 nautical miles (350 km) in width.
It has an average depth of 130 feet (40m) extending to 390 feet (120m) in the Strait of Hormuz.
Due to high evaporation it develops salty water called Persian Gulf Water which flows out into the Gulf of Oman. It is replaced by the inflow of the less salty water of the Indian Ocean.
It has rocky and coral reefs, Pearl oysters, and Mangrove swamps.
The southern coast is bounded by the Arabian desert, the northern coast by the Iranian mountains.

The only access to the Persian Gulf is from the Indian Ocean through the narrow Strait of Hormuz.
It is 21 nm (39 km) at its narrowest point.

When Alexander the Great invaded the Persian Empire, his Admiral Nearchos took a fleet into the Persian Gulf in May 334 BCE.
Nearchos visited Bahrain, which was known to the Ancient Greeks as ‘Tylos’.

During Trajan's Parthian War in 116 CE, he invaded Persia and visited Charax Spasinou (in the area of modern Kuwait) and commented on all the ships there bound for India.

Northwesterly winds (Shamal) most of year. Westerly in the South. Southwesterly in Straits of Hormuz.
Squalls occur all year round and may reach gale force.
December to February, they alternate with South Easterlies ahead of depressions.
March to May, less southeasterlies.
June to September, persistent Northwesterlies.
October to November, some southeasterlies.

An inshore sea current of circulates clockwise in the Persian Gulf. Entering the Strait of Hormuz along the Iranian coast, and leaving along the UAE and Omani coast.
The Persian Gulf is relatively shallow with average depth is 130 feet (40m).
The Current averages 2 knots, but runs faster through the Strait of Hormuz in both directions, where it can reach almost 5 knots off the Oman peninsular. The inbound current runs along the north of the Strait with the outbound current running to the south.

December to February, prevailing wind is Northwesterly.
March to May, occasional southwesterly winds.
June to August, prevailing wind is Southeasterly, derived from Southwesterly Monsoon in the Arabian Sea.
September to November, fewer Southeasterlies, more Northwesterlies.
Visibility is good from November to February. Haze is at its worst in June and July, down to less than 5 miles.
Duststorms or Sandstorms can occur throughout the year, when visibility will reduce to less than 500 m.