Prime, Strategic Reef off the coast of Mainland China
There is a small, underwater reef in a strategic location in the South China Sea just east of mainland China, PRC.
Google Satellite Imagery from 5/13/2014 provides us with 10-year old footage. The reef is round, oval shaped, and the longest diameter is 1.62 miles across. This reef is large enough to support a permanent habitation.
The reef is 194 miles East by Southeast (mostly just east) of Hainan Island, and 199 miles south of Macao. It is 213 miles South by Southwest of Dongsha Island. It is strategic because it creates a stepping stone for flights or sails from mainland china or Hainan to the Paracel Islands. It is 440.3 nautical miles West by Northwest from Da Nang, Vietnam.
Google Satellite Imagery from 5/13/2014 provides us with 10-year old footage. The reef is round, oval shaped, and the longest diameter is 1.62 miles across. This reef is large enough to support a permanent habitation.
The reef is 194 miles East by Southeast (mostly just east) of Hainan Island, and 199 miles south of Macao. It is 213 miles South by Southwest of Dongsha Island. It is strategic because it creates a stepping stone for flights or sails from mainland china or Hainan to the Paracel Islands. It is 440.3 nautical miles West by Northwest from Da Nang, Vietnam.
Strategically located reef, Google Earth 5/13/2014.
This strategic reef creates the next line in a picket fence that would protect the PRC, and create a stepping stone from PRC to the Paracel islands. Location: 19°11'56"N 113°50'55"E.
We recommend that the world keeps its eye on this underwater reef.
Our original post from 2023: WHAT IS NEXT? A new island? Mystery Island?
The PRC militarized islands in the South China Sea are mutually supporting, along with Hainan Island, to stop most traffic from transiting the SCS from north to south without having to approach or even enter the Philippine's EEZ. However, we believe there is one small underwater island missing from that geometry and our satellite imagery suggests it is still underwater and undeveloped.
PRC has mutually supporting islands in the South China Sea, both in the Spratly Islands, and between Hainan and the Paracels.
Spratly Islands
Subi to Fiery Cross: 123 miles
Subi to Mischief: 118.8 miles
Fiery Cross to Mischief: 178.9 miles
Subi to Woody: 405.1 miles (it's a stretch)
Paracel Islands
Woody to Hainan: 206.4 miles
Woody to Mystery: 190 miles
Hainan to Mystery: 192 miles
Woody to Dongsha: 400 miles (too far)
Mystery is a tiny, underwater reef that we will keep our eyes on. Location: 19°09'35"N 113°54'27"E, satellite imagery is dated 5/13/2014, which is almost 10 years old! 1.6 miles in diameter.
We checked back March 25, 2024, and Google Earth still has this as an underwater feature. We do think this is a strategic spot in the South China Sea which would enable a mutually supporting triangle of PRC military bases. It requires further investigation and analysis.
The PRC militarized islands in the South China Sea are mutually supporting, along with Hainan Island, to stop most traffic from transiting the SCS from north to south without having to approach or even enter the Philippine's EEZ. However, we believe there is one small underwater island missing from that geometry and our satellite imagery suggests it is still underwater and undeveloped.
PRC has mutually supporting islands in the South China Sea, both in the Spratly Islands, and between Hainan and the Paracels.
Spratly Islands
Subi to Fiery Cross: 123 miles
Subi to Mischief: 118.8 miles
Fiery Cross to Mischief: 178.9 miles
Subi to Woody: 405.1 miles (it's a stretch)
Paracel Islands
Woody to Hainan: 206.4 miles
Woody to Mystery: 190 miles
Hainan to Mystery: 192 miles
Woody to Dongsha: 400 miles (too far)
Mystery is a tiny, underwater reef that we will keep our eyes on. Location: 19°09'35"N 113°54'27"E, satellite imagery is dated 5/13/2014, which is almost 10 years old! 1.6 miles in diameter.
We checked back March 25, 2024, and Google Earth still has this as an underwater feature. We do think this is a strategic spot in the South China Sea which would enable a mutually supporting triangle of PRC military bases. It requires further investigation and analysis.
Other photographs on Pexel (the free photo-sharing website) that may be relevant to the South China Sea
The first one is of two islands, one actively being reclaimed via a ship with a floating hose, without a location. Picture was taken in 2019. It looks like a South China Sea photo, but we don't have the capability to geo-locate the shot. We will keep trying.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-view-of-a-beach-12858456/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-view-of-a-beach-12858456/
Photo by Asad Photo Maldives: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-view-of-a-beach-12858456/