Erica Reef, Mariveles Reef, Investigator Island and Viper North, Spratly Islands
Just to the north of Ardasier Bank is Mariveles Reef. We have a developed reef with a reclamation that seems to be growing with a new sandy area to the South. Total length is 0.16 miles, and the developed area looks busy.
Location: 7°57'59"N 113°54’59”E.
This is a 6.45 mile long double atoll reef structure with visible sand reclamation underway in the Southern half, and a small man-made island development. Given the amount of sand visible from satellite images, would expect the bottom half of the reef, or the entire atoll, to potentially be filled in over time.
This development is based around a carved out channel in the reef, and a protected bay that is open to the North and South to enter and exit the reef bay. It runs North-South, and has a helipad and two port / docking facilities in the protected bay. At the time of the satellite photo, 1/21/2022, we see a major ship and small ship docked.
The existing development looks like a naval truck stop, likely for transferring cargo, crew and refueling.
We see items stacked on the helipad in this image suggesting that the helipad is not in frequent use.
Northeast of Mariveles by 16.5 miles, we find Erica Reef. Erica Reef atoll is 1.9 miles in diameter with a small development in the south of the atoll at around 165 degrees. The land development has a length of 0.05 miles, and two spits of land that create a protected bay. This development has docks on two sides, and also looks to be a naval truck stop with a helipad and the interesting tall shape that reminds us of the 2001 A Space Oddity rectangle, except this one is white in color.
Location: 8°06'09"N 114°08’14”E. This is a reclamation effort with a large protected bay, and two areas of ongoing reclamation underway. There is no satellite imagery for the reef, but 12/14/2015 is for the surrounding water.
This island has a helipad, two docking facilities, and a few buildings around the island.
Upon closer examination, it may be a rotating radar dish instead of the typical ‘three radomes’ approach.
A large shoal labeled Investigator Shoal has at least two developments.
Investigator Shoal, Island 1, dated 03/27/2021, at location: 8°06'42"N 114°31’02”E, is a small sandy reclamation.
Investigator Shoal Island two is an ambitious reclamation that looks different than any other island. It has a long stream of sand reaching south for about 20x the length of the current island. It is a very small island, with the long side of the rectangular island measuring 0.05 miles. It is at location: 8°07'07"N 114°34'36"E. It is due East of Island One. It is also a satellite image from 03/27/2021. It also has the standing rectangle we saw on Erica Reef in white and a helipad.
We also see a pair of infrastructure items located at the Western edge of a natural deep channel into the reef, that each seem to have lines stretching towards the channel. There is also a natural deep channel to the east of this reef island, making it a natural defensive location. Location: 8°06'24"N 114°47’14”E. These look more like ships than they do the typical fixed-placement infrastructure we normally see. Here is the picture with a little more detail. This is Southeast of the other fortifications.
At the North center of the shoal, we see a possible reclamation that looks like a smudge of sand that we named Investigator Shoal Island Four. Location: 8°10'29"N 114°43’40”E.
Northeast of Investigator Shoal is Viper North Shoal. It runs North West to east, and looks like a hightop sneaker.
We see one infrastructure element in the center of this shoal, at location: 8°21'33"N 115°14’22”E.
Name 1
Nearest Land
Distance from Land (miles)
Location (latitude & longitude)
Diameter (miles)
Date of Satellite Imagery
Airport Present?
Helipad Present?
Port / Dock Facility Present?
Buildings Present?
Defensive Infrastructure Present?
Athletic Facilities Present?
Hospital Present?
Sand Only Island?
Dredging Infrastructure Only?
Spratly Islands
Mariveles Reef
Philippines and Malaysia
204 and 208
7°57'59"N 113°54’59”E
6.5 (island is 0.16)
1/21/2022
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Spratly Islands
Erica Reef
Philippines and Malaysia
189 and 198
8°06'09"N 114°08’14”E
1.9 (island is 0.05)
None given
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
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