Location South China Sea | Archipelago Spratly Islands | |
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Royal Captain shoal (Chinese: Jiangzhang Ansha) is a shoal in the South China sea and a part of Spratly islands. It is located in the vicinity of North East Investigator Shoal and Half Moon Shoal, in an area of the South China Sea termed Dangerous Ground.
Contents
Map of Royal Captain Shoal
History and Etymology
The shoal is named after the East India company ship Royal Captain, that ran aground in the vicinity of this shoal in 1773. The ship was subsequently wrecked and lost.
Location and topography
Spread over an area of 8 square kilometres, Royal Captain shoal is centered at 9°01’N 116°40’E near the Palawan passage, and is located between North East Investigator Shoal to the north, and Half Moon Shoal to the South. It lies off the coast of Palawan, Philippines and consists of a few rocks that are above water at low tide and is surrounded by a lagoon. The shoal lies 16 nautical miles southeast from Northeast Investigator shoal. The rocks in the shoal dry at 1.2 metres, the lagoon has depths of up to 31 metres and contains a number of coral heads.
Named features in this shoal include Observation rock (at the northern tipoff the shoal) that shows at half tide. The shoal can only be entered at high water.