Guardafui Channel

Guardafui Channel Somali: Marinka Soqotra Somali: Marinka Gardafuul
The Guardafui Channel, between Puntland and Socotra island.
Location	Midst of Indian Ocean–Arabian Sea-Gulf of Aden
Coordinates	11°49′N 51°15′E / 11.817°N 51.250°E / 11.817; 51.250
Type	Strait
Part of	Indian Ocean
Basin countries	Somalia Yemen
Max. depth	2500m, near Oligocene - Miocene floor
Salinity	35.3 ‰
Max. temperature	26 °C (78 °F)
Min. temperature	14 °C (57 °F)
Islands	Abd al Kuri, Darsah and Samhah

The Guardafui Channel is an oceanic strait off the tip of the Horn of Africa. In its broader sense it refers to the strait between Somalia and Socotra, and in its narrower sense to the strait between Somalia and Abd al Kuri. It connects the Gulf of Aden to the north with the Indian Ocean to the south. Its namesake is Cape Guardafui, the very tip of the Horn of Africa.

Its width is roughy 100 kilometers between Ras Asir (Gardafuul) and Abd al Kari, and roughly 240 kilometers between Ras Asir and Socotra.

The oceanic strait goes by many names, including the Ras Hafun Strait, named after the headland of Ras Hafun, near the town of Foar, the Ras Asir-Socotra Strait, the Cape Guardafui Strait, the Guardafui-Socotra Channel Guardafui Channel Cape Guardafui Channel,Socotra Strait, and Socotra Passage.

The oceanic strait has been regarded as a possibly dangerous pitfall both during peace and war times. It was a highly strategic region during World War Two. Due to its possession by an Axis power at the time, Italy, The Allies attempted to secure passage through the oceanic strait in the Operation of Dante and Guardafui. Subsequently, the Allies decided that in order to continue routing independent ships and convoys, air cover was needed. The oceanic strait also experiences cyclones that emerge from its southeast in the Indian ocean. There is a dispute between the Somali government and Yemen over the sovereignty of its islands.

To the northwest, it connects with the Gulf of Aden, to the northeast with the Arabian Sea and to the south with the Indian ocean. The passage contains the islands of Abd al Kuri, Darsah and Samhah. Ships passing the strait use the Francesco Crispi lighthouse in Cape Guardafui as a navigational aid. On the western mainland on the Horn African coast, lie the Puntite localities of Aluula, Ras Filuk, Cape Guardafui, Bereeda, Tohen and Bargal.