Duncan, Drummond, Pattle, Money and Antelope islands, Yongle Islands, Crescent Group, Paracel Islands
Updated: August 29, 2024 to reflect Maxar Xpress data.
Yongle Islands, Crescent Group in the Paracel Islands. Currently occupied and extensively developed by PRC. These are busy islands and likely support an important Chinese fishing trade.
The Crescent Group in the Paracel Islands is a 20 mile in diameter oval set of coral reefs in sort of a loose atoll shape, and a few of those reefs are also individually in an atoll shape. What stands out is the significant amount of land reclamation and man-made development in this area by the PRC. This formation is located 161.3 miles SSE of Hainan island.
The Crescent Group contains ten primary reef structures. They are the western islands in the Paracel Islands, and the second group that traditional Chinese fisherman would visit. They are called the Lower Eight Islands or Xia Zhi / The Lower Stand-off. They are also called the Yongle Islands. Source Liu, L. The Fishermen...2021 DOI Link.
There are significant signs of naval activity and fishing, but no airports. There is significant reclamation activity underway in the satellite imagery.
Here is an overview photo.
The northern 'Central West Reefs' are heavily developed. We number the islands based on 'central west, number.' The three southern 'Central West Reefs' in this photo are underwater and lack any man-made structures or reclamation. This is also true for the Southeast corner, and the far-eastern edge of the Paracel Islands.
Yongle Islands, Crescent Group in the Paracel Islands. Currently occupied and extensively developed by PRC. These are busy islands and likely support an important Chinese fishing trade.
The Crescent Group in the Paracel Islands is a 20 mile in diameter oval set of coral reefs in sort of a loose atoll shape, and a few of those reefs are also individually in an atoll shape. What stands out is the significant amount of land reclamation and man-made development in this area by the PRC. This formation is located 161.3 miles SSE of Hainan island.
The Crescent Group contains ten primary reef structures. They are the western islands in the Paracel Islands, and the second group that traditional Chinese fisherman would visit. They are called the Lower Eight Islands or Xia Zhi / The Lower Stand-off. They are also called the Yongle Islands. Source Liu, L. The Fishermen...2021 DOI Link.
There are significant signs of naval activity and fishing, but no airports. There is significant reclamation activity underway in the satellite imagery.
Here is an overview photo.
The northern 'Central West Reefs' are heavily developed. We number the islands based on 'central west, number.' The three southern 'Central West Reefs' in this photo are underwater and lack any man-made structures or reclamation. This is also true for the Southeast corner, and the far-eastern edge of the Paracel Islands.
Crescent Group: Reefs under continual development
Crescent Group, Paracel Islands, Overview. Google Earth May 2023 Imagery.
Order of the review on this webpage:
- We review the reefs starting at the southwest (Money Reef) and move due east to Drummond Island.
- We then start again at the west (Robert Island), then move northeast to Observation Bank.
- We finally cover two uninhabited reefs south of the Crescents.
Money Island, Treasure Island, Jinyin Island, or Jin Yin Dao.
Location: 16°26'37"N 111°30’52"E.
Money Island is in the western portion of the reef, is 6 meters high and brush covered. The island has a settlement of people and neatly planted groves of palm trees, and a small protected and dredged quay / basin on the south shore available for small boats (according to the NGA Publication 161).
The island looks to take up about 5% of the total coral reef surface area. We see approximately ten sand cays and land reclamations to the east that indicates this island will grow to fill the atoll. The diameter of the coral atoll is 3.59 miles.
This appears to be a very busy island with many shapes that blend into the palm trees. Satellite Imagery: 4/6/2023.
This island has its share of tall, multi-story buildings, big green, camouflaged radomes, defensive positions facing the sea, and tall towers around the island. We see straight roads laid out in a grid. There are trees everywhere, and I think it makes some of the development unobservable from satellite. We do see a helipad. We see two ratio towers bracketing a radome.
We see island defenses along the outside of the island, at least on the North. There are block and round shapes around the perimeter of the island just off the paths which may be fixed, manned positions for island defense.
The extreme eastern portion of the coral atoll under Money Island has some land reclamation underway, as we see a sand cay. Satellite imagery 5/27/2023. Current imagery is from 4/6/2023 in detail, and 1/11/2024 for the overview shot below. In the photo we see reclamations both east and west of the island.
This island is 171.5 miles from Zhuwan, China and 218.6 miles from Da Nang, Vietnam. It is approximately one mile in diameter (0.96). This island is notated in the 2015 H. Yong research paper, although it was not surveyed.
Location: 16°26'37"N 111°30’52"E.
Money Island is in the western portion of the reef, is 6 meters high and brush covered. The island has a settlement of people and neatly planted groves of palm trees, and a small protected and dredged quay / basin on the south shore available for small boats (according to the NGA Publication 161).
The island looks to take up about 5% of the total coral reef surface area. We see approximately ten sand cays and land reclamations to the east that indicates this island will grow to fill the atoll. The diameter of the coral atoll is 3.59 miles.
This appears to be a very busy island with many shapes that blend into the palm trees. Satellite Imagery: 4/6/2023.
This island has its share of tall, multi-story buildings, big green, camouflaged radomes, defensive positions facing the sea, and tall towers around the island. We see straight roads laid out in a grid. There are trees everywhere, and I think it makes some of the development unobservable from satellite. We do see a helipad. We see two ratio towers bracketing a radome.
We see island defenses along the outside of the island, at least on the North. There are block and round shapes around the perimeter of the island just off the paths which may be fixed, manned positions for island defense.
The extreme eastern portion of the coral atoll under Money Island has some land reclamation underway, as we see a sand cay. Satellite imagery 5/27/2023. Current imagery is from 4/6/2023 in detail, and 1/11/2024 for the overview shot below. In the photo we see reclamations both east and west of the island.
This island is 171.5 miles from Zhuwan, China and 218.6 miles from Da Nang, Vietnam. It is approximately one mile in diameter (0.96). This island is notated in the 2015 H. Yong research paper, although it was not surveyed.
Money Reef, Crescents, Paracel Islands, Google Earth 1/11/2024.
Here we highlight three fixed positions along the Northern coastline, as well as a tower (which we also see elsewhere).
Antelope Reef, Lingyang Reef
Central West 2
Central West 2, location: 16°26'46"N 111°36’46"E, Google Earth satellite imagery 5/27/2023.
We notice a long channel from the island into the center of the atoll, another channel north of the island, and a large reclamation north of Antelope Reef. The island, from far away, has five large buildings, a few sandy spots, a boat, and an inhabited island. It appears the Southern portion of the island is being expanded atop the underwater reef, and will be further built out.
As we zoom into the island, we see more details. It looks like a fishing village with a large port building, navigation body, small fishing boats, and five nearly identical buildings. It looks like this island is larger than the area in use, and the long, straight navigation channel into the bay was cleared out. This island has two survey sites in the H. Yong 2015 research paper.
Central West 2
Central West 2, location: 16°26'46"N 111°36’46"E, Google Earth satellite imagery 5/27/2023.
We notice a long channel from the island into the center of the atoll, another channel north of the island, and a large reclamation north of Antelope Reef. The island, from far away, has five large buildings, a few sandy spots, a boat, and an inhabited island. It appears the Southern portion of the island is being expanded atop the underwater reef, and will be further built out.
As we zoom into the island, we see more details. It looks like a fishing village with a large port building, navigation body, small fishing boats, and five nearly identical buildings. It looks like this island is larger than the area in use, and the long, straight navigation channel into the bay was cleared out. This island has two survey sites in the H. Yong 2015 research paper.
Antelope Reef and channel, Google Earth, 5/27/2023.
Antelope Reef, 5/27/2023 Google Earth
Duncan Island, a.k.a., Palm Island and Chenhang Island, China
Duncan Island was two smaller coral islets connected by a long sand spit. Date: 05/19/2023. Location: 16°27'04"N 111°42’24”E. There is a significant lagoon, or protected bay. The harbor entrance appears deep and 1.5 miles wide. It is a very large harbor basin and a significant port or pier.
This island has facilities for people, including significant athletic facilities. We see six athletic fields. We see a tall radio tower and a heliport with eight helipads connected. There is no airport. It looks like most of the Western portion of the island is still under construction and reclamation. We do see a set of three radomes on the East side of the island. See much open land and sand on the North and West of the island.
One unique feature is a fenced-in compound on the island, with what looks like a tower on one of the corners of the property. Fences are usually to keep people out or to keep them in. The layout of the fenced in compound does not indicate its purpose, but it is either a higher-security area or a prison facility.
Another important observation is that the western islet looks to be in the process of being fully reclaimed to the edges of the reef. That would make this a significantly larger island. With the additional reclamation, the island would be 1.40 miles in diameter.
Duncan Island was two smaller coral islets connected by a long sand spit. Date: 05/19/2023. Location: 16°27'04"N 111°42’24”E. There is a significant lagoon, or protected bay. The harbor entrance appears deep and 1.5 miles wide. It is a very large harbor basin and a significant port or pier.
This island has facilities for people, including significant athletic facilities. We see six athletic fields. We see a tall radio tower and a heliport with eight helipads connected. There is no airport. It looks like most of the Western portion of the island is still under construction and reclamation. We do see a set of three radomes on the East side of the island. See much open land and sand on the North and West of the island.
One unique feature is a fenced-in compound on the island, with what looks like a tower on one of the corners of the property. Fences are usually to keep people out or to keep them in. The layout of the fenced in compound does not indicate its purpose, but it is either a higher-security area or a prison facility.
Another important observation is that the western islet looks to be in the process of being fully reclaimed to the edges of the reef. That would make this a significantly larger island. With the additional reclamation, the island would be 1.40 miles in diameter.
Drummond Island, Jinxiang Island, Jinqing Island, China
Central West 4
Location: 16°27'48"N 111°44’29”E, is east of Duncan Island. Satellite Imagery 5/19/2023. It has a trail around the island, and a couple of very large building complexes on the island. It also hosts small fishing docks and fishing boats. I notice at least two, raised observation towers along the ring trail.
The large building is labeled in Maxar Xpress Open Street Map as the Yongle Islands Management Committee of DangSansha City Yongle Islands Working Committee, of the Communist Party of China. So, this is a government and 'peoples' facility. There is even a large, public vegetable garden.
There is a long channel on the northeast corner of the island that leads through the coral reef. On the northeast of the island, there are some multi-story buildings showing three or four floors, and is connected to another building. We also see the helipad in front of the main building nearest the port facility. In this satellite image, we see many barges and boats, and just north of the large building are some shapes covered in tarps that could be building materials or heavy equipment.
To the northwest of this island, we see an anchored, floating dry dock or island. This is rectangular, attached with cables to two anchors, and looks significant in size for a ship. It sports a large crane, and appears to be multiple stories in height. We measure it at 0.02 miles x 0.06 miles. There is a significant ring-road around Jinqing Island.
The floating dry dock is at location: 16°28'12"N 111°44’08"E. This island did not have a survey location in the H. Yong 2015 paper.
Central West 4
Location: 16°27'48"N 111°44’29”E, is east of Duncan Island. Satellite Imagery 5/19/2023. It has a trail around the island, and a couple of very large building complexes on the island. It also hosts small fishing docks and fishing boats. I notice at least two, raised observation towers along the ring trail.
The large building is labeled in Maxar Xpress Open Street Map as the Yongle Islands Management Committee of DangSansha City Yongle Islands Working Committee, of the Communist Party of China. So, this is a government and 'peoples' facility. There is even a large, public vegetable garden.
There is a long channel on the northeast corner of the island that leads through the coral reef. On the northeast of the island, there are some multi-story buildings showing three or four floors, and is connected to another building. We also see the helipad in front of the main building nearest the port facility. In this satellite image, we see many barges and boats, and just north of the large building are some shapes covered in tarps that could be building materials or heavy equipment.
To the northwest of this island, we see an anchored, floating dry dock or island. This is rectangular, attached with cables to two anchors, and looks significant in size for a ship. It sports a large crane, and appears to be multiple stories in height. We measure it at 0.02 miles x 0.06 miles. There is a significant ring-road around Jinqing Island.
The floating dry dock is at location: 16°28'12"N 111°44’08"E. This island did not have a survey location in the H. Yong 2015 paper.
Drummond Island Overview, 5/19/2023, Google Earth
NE corner of Drummond Island, 5/19/2023, Google Earth
Barge by Drummond Island, 5/19/2023 Google Earth
Robert Island, Ganquan Island, also known as Round Island, China
This island, Ganquan Island, has freshwater wells and is a place where fishermen come to obtain a supply of fresh water. It is 8 meters high, fringed with coral reef, and covered with vegetation. There are a few buildings and a place to tie up boats on the southern tip. The island has a 0.47 mile diameter. We see some irregular shapes (circles) located around the outer ring road, and the housing structures look almost jungle-like and are hard to see with their tree cover. Very little by way of roads.
Location is: 16°30'33"N 111°35’28"E. Satellite imagery 5/27/2023. This island did not have a survey location in the H. Yong research paper.
Pattle Island is 2 miles northeast of Robert Island.
This island, Ganquan Island, has freshwater wells and is a place where fishermen come to obtain a supply of fresh water. It is 8 meters high, fringed with coral reef, and covered with vegetation. There are a few buildings and a place to tie up boats on the southern tip. The island has a 0.47 mile diameter. We see some irregular shapes (circles) located around the outer ring road, and the housing structures look almost jungle-like and are hard to see with their tree cover. Very little by way of roads.
Location is: 16°30'33"N 111°35’28"E. Satellite imagery 5/27/2023. This island did not have a survey location in the H. Yong research paper.
Pattle Island is 2 miles northeast of Robert Island.
Robert Island, 5/27/2023, Google Earth
Pattle Island, Shanhu Island, PRC occupied
Location: 16°31'55"N 111°36’22”E. Satellite Imagery: 5/27/2023.
Pattle Island is a rectangular island covered with brush and mangroves, it has a fresh water well. It has additional reclamation work apparent along the south and east of the island. This island has straight roads and a ring road, three tall towers in a triangle at the North, West and Eastern ends, and defensive installations around the outside of the island.
There are multiple athletic facilities, a tall radio tower, a significant helipad, and buildings in the center of the island.
There is an enclosed dredged basin and quay (named Coral Island Harbor - Maxar Xpress), with port facilities. Based on the buoys south of the island, and significant landmass developing to the Southeast. there is a ring-road and a well established set of roads across the island. I would expect this island will grow in the coming years. According to Wikipedia, the French built a weather station on this island in 1932, and a lighthouse and radio station in 1937.
This island has two survey sites in the H. Yong 2015 research paper.
Location: 16°31'55"N 111°36’22”E. Satellite Imagery: 5/27/2023.
Pattle Island is a rectangular island covered with brush and mangroves, it has a fresh water well. It has additional reclamation work apparent along the south and east of the island. This island has straight roads and a ring road, three tall towers in a triangle at the North, West and Eastern ends, and defensive installations around the outside of the island.
There are multiple athletic facilities, a tall radio tower, a significant helipad, and buildings in the center of the island.
There is an enclosed dredged basin and quay (named Coral Island Harbor - Maxar Xpress), with port facilities. Based on the buoys south of the island, and significant landmass developing to the Southeast. there is a ring-road and a well established set of roads across the island. I would expect this island will grow in the coming years. According to Wikipedia, the French built a weather station on this island in 1932, and a lighthouse and radio station in 1937.
This island has two survey sites in the H. Yong 2015 research paper.
Pattle Island, 5/27/2023, Google Earth
Observation Bank (inclusive of CW 7 and CW 8) are all developed, maintained and operated by China. Theses islands, and nearby islands, are undergoing visible land reclamation. These appear to be rough fishing villages, or very small reclamations crammed with housing or buildings (possibly to process the fish locally or to support a workforce).
Quanfu Island, Central West 7, means All Wealth Island.
Yinyu Reef, Central West 8, also known as Silver Islet and Lesser Silver Islet.
Central West 7 & 8 are under new constructions, and still being reclaimed from the sea and reefs. We see ships between 7 & 8, and a structure that looks like a large rectangle just off island seven.
Central West 7 is a busy fishing island with additional reclamation work underway to the Northwest of the island in two locations.
Quick photos only, and the location of 7 and 8.
Central West 7 16°34'13"N 111°40'41"E. Both of these formations had survey sites in the H. Yong 2015 research paper. C.W. 7 had one and C.W. 8 had two survey sites.
Quanfu Island, Central West 7, means All Wealth Island.
Yinyu Reef, Central West 8, also known as Silver Islet and Lesser Silver Islet.
Central West 7 & 8 are under new constructions, and still being reclaimed from the sea and reefs. We see ships between 7 & 8, and a structure that looks like a large rectangle just off island seven.
Central West 7 is a busy fishing island with additional reclamation work underway to the Northwest of the island in two locations.
Quick photos only, and the location of 7 and 8.
Central West 7 16°34'13"N 111°40'41"E. Both of these formations had survey sites in the H. Yong 2015 research paper. C.W. 7 had one and C.W. 8 had two survey sites.
Potentially named:
Yagong Dao, He Duck
Xianshe Yu, Salty Hut
These last few, southern-most islands and look to be active fishing villages. One of them has a pool of water in the center of the island where boats are floating. I also notice there are wire cables stretching out from the island North (3) and West (2) that the boats are tethered to. In some cases, there is one boat and in other cases two. This is a new island without any greenery or growth, it is pure sand and a few buildings.
One of the buildings is a temple for the Chinese protective deity for seafaring people. It is called Xiongdi Gong, or 108 saints, or called 108 Brothers.
I am surprised by the number of structures on this island, and the water in the center of it. It looks like they might still be filling the area with sand, and have workers located on the island already, or just needed a place to park fishing boats so they don't wash away in windy weather.
Yagong Dao, He Duck
Xianshe Yu, Salty Hut
These last few, southern-most islands and look to be active fishing villages. One of them has a pool of water in the center of the island where boats are floating. I also notice there are wire cables stretching out from the island North (3) and West (2) that the boats are tethered to. In some cases, there is one boat and in other cases two. This is a new island without any greenery or growth, it is pure sand and a few buildings.
One of the buildings is a temple for the Chinese protective deity for seafaring people. It is called Xiongdi Gong, or 108 saints, or called 108 Brothers.
I am surprised by the number of structures on this island, and the water in the center of it. It looks like they might still be filling the area with sand, and have workers located on the island already, or just needed a place to park fishing boats so they don't wash away in windy weather.
Central West 8 has two large buildings at the southern tip, adjacent to a square structure. Then, further south closer to the navigation channel into the island is the nautical body. One thing is for sure, there are 9 boats just north of the island in the water, and looks like 7+ on land. This looks like an active fishing island.
Xiansheyu, China
The three reefs further to the South and East are underwater and has no man-made features.
However, one of them appears as a full island with the name Xiansheyu south and slightly east of Yinyu Reef.
This island does not currently appear in Google Earth.
The three reefs further to the South and East are underwater and has no man-made features.
However, one of them appears as a full island with the name Xiansheyu south and slightly east of Yinyu Reef.
This island does not currently appear in Google Earth.
According to Wikipedia, at the center of the boomerang-shaped reef in this area is the deepest known sinkhole in the world, called Dragon Hole, or Yongle Blue Hole. It is the deepest known blue hole in the world, at 300.89 meters.
It is located about 5.6 miles north of Drummond Island. The exact location of the Dragon Hole is N16°31.55’. E111°46.1’.
It is located about 5.6 miles north of Drummond Island. The exact location of the Dragon Hole is N16°31.55’. E111°46.1’.
Discovery Reef, Huaguang Reef, China
Discovery Reef is noted in the NGA Publication 161 as having above water rocks & overfalls. We see two, clearly defined navigation channels in the Southern coast of one reef, but no reclamation. Google Earth satellite imagery, west, from 7/4/2019, and on the east is 2/15/2021. No signs of human habitation or reclamation.
Discovery Reef is noted in the NGA Publication 161 as having above water rocks & overfalls. We see two, clearly defined navigation channels in the Southern coast of one reef, but no reclamation. Google Earth satellite imagery, west, from 7/4/2019, and on the east is 2/15/2021. No signs of human habitation or reclamation.
Passu Keah, Panshiyu, China
There is an empty, underwater reef that is at the far south of the Central West reef. It has no unusual or man-made features. Google Earth 11/4/2018.
However, currently in Maxar Xpress, we see a small island where in 2018 there is a vague sandy reclamation that appears below and is very early stage. Looks like this completed, and there is an island on the reef.
There is an empty, underwater reef that is at the far south of the Central West reef. It has no unusual or man-made features. Google Earth 11/4/2018.
However, currently in Maxar Xpress, we see a small island where in 2018 there is a vague sandy reclamation that appears below and is very early stage. Looks like this completed, and there is an island on the reef.
Passu Keah, Paracels, Google Earth 11/4/2018.
One last underwater and undeveloped reef in the area. This reef is 116.3 miles east of Bombay Reef at the Southeast corner of the Paracel islands, pictured below. It looks natural and underwater with no islands or man-made infrastructure. Location: 16°03'50"N 114°26’39”E.
We call this East of the Paracel Islands. It is in the shape of an equilateral triangle, with the long side approximately 12 miles long, and the shorter sides approximately 8.4 miles long. Google marked this satellite image as from 03/06/2012, so this image is over 11 years old.
We call this East of the Paracel Islands. It is in the shape of an equilateral triangle, with the long side approximately 12 miles long, and the shorter sides approximately 8.4 miles long. Google marked this satellite image as from 03/06/2012, so this image is over 11 years old.
We see one last reef named Songtaotan, China, that is south of the Paracel Island group. We see this on Maxar Xpress, but not on Google Earth. It appears fully submerged, but claimed by China.
Area
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?
Paracel Islands
Central West Reef (Island 1 of 10)
Vietnam & Zhuwan, China & Da Nang, Vietnam
China: 171.5
Vietnam: 218.6
16°26'37"N 111°30’52"E
0.96 (including 0.1 of new reclamation)
4/6/2023
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Not Sure
No
No
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?
Paracel Islands
Central West Reef (Island 1 of 10)
Vietnam & Zhuwan, China & Da Nang, Vietnam
China: 171.5
Vietnam: 218.6
16°26'37"N 111°30’52"E
0.96 (including 0.1 of new reclamation)
4/6/2023
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Not Sure
No
No
We learned a great deal about these islands from a 2015 research paper on the impact of Typhoon Wutip, which hit the Yongle Atoll in September 2013 and killed 62 people, and sunk dozens of ships.
Impact on the coral reefs at Yongle Atoll, Xisha Islands, South China Sea from a strong typhoon direct sweep: Wutip, September 2013 Hongqiang Yang, Kefu Yu, , Meixia Zhao b , Qi Shi, Shichen Tao, Hongqiang Yan, Tianran Chen, Guohui Liu,
Coral Reef Research Centre of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, PR China,
Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, PR China
Impact on the coral reefs at Yongle Atoll, Xisha Islands, South China Sea from a strong typhoon direct sweep: Wutip, September 2013 Hongqiang Yang, Kefu Yu, , Meixia Zhao b , Qi Shi, Shichen Tao, Hongqiang Yan, Tianran Chen, Guohui Liu,
Coral Reef Research Centre of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, PR China,
Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, PR China