Dangerous Ground (South China Sea)

Due to the conflicting dates and accuracy of the various partial surveys of Dangerous Ground, certain shoals and reefs may appear on one chart, but not on another regardless of the scales involved.
Charted depths and their locations may present considerable error in the lesser known regions of this area. Avoidance of Dangerous Ground is the mariner’s only assurance of safety.

Boundaries

NW

• 1.21 North Danger Reef – northern and western sections
• * North Reef, North Pass, Northeast Cay, Shira Islet, Middle Pass, Southwest Cay, West Pass, Jenkins Patches, West Pass
• 1.22 North Danger Reef – southern and eastern sections; Trident & Lys Shoals
• * South Reef, South Pass, Sabine Patches, Farquharson Patches, East Pass, Day Shoal, Iroquois Ridge; Trident Shoal, Lys Shoal
• 1.23 Thitu Reefs and surrounding
• * Thitu Island, Subi Reef
• 1.24 Loaita Bank
• * Loaita Island, Lankiam Cay
• 1.25 & 1.26 Tizard Bank
• * Namyit Island, Gaven Reefs, Sand Cay, Itu Aba Island, Petley Reef, Eldad Reef
• 1.26 West of Tizard Bank
• * Western Reef, Discovery Great Reef, Discovery Small Reef

  NE

• 1.27 East of Loaita Bank
• * Menzies Reef, Irving Reef, West York Island
• 1.27 Southampton Reefs
• * Hopps Reef, Livock Reef
• Northern NE – Reed Bank
• * Nares Bank, Marie Louise Bank
• 1.27 & 1.28 Central NE
• * Jackson Atoll, Nanshan Island, Flat Island, Third Thomas Shoal, Hopkins Reef, Amy Douglas, Hirane Shoal, Hardy Reef
• 1.29 Eastern NE
• *Sandy Shoal, Seahorse Shoal, Lord Auckland Shoal, Carnatic Shoal

  SE

• 1.30 & 1.31 Eastern SE
• *Half Moon Shoal, Bombay Reef, Royal Captain Shoal
• 1.32 Central SE
• *Sabina Shoal, Boxall Reef, Second Thomas Shoal
• 1.33 & 1.34 Western SE
• *Mischief Reef, First Thomas Shoal, Alicia Annie Reef

  SW

• 1.34 & 1.35 Union Bank
• *Johnson Reef, Collins Reef, Sin Cowe Island, Whitsun Reef, Grierson Reef, Lansdowne Reef,
• 1.36 Central SW
• *Bittern Reef, Allison Reef, Cornwallis South Reef
• 1.37
• *Pearson Reef, Pigeon Reef, Commodore Reef
• 1.38
• *Investigator Shoal, Ardasier Reef, Ardasier Bank
• 1.39
• *Erica Reef, Mariveles Reef, Dallas Reef, Barque Canada Reef.

  Outside of Dangerous Ground

• 1.41 – 1.43 West of Dangerous Ground
• * Fiery Cross Reef, London Reefs, Spratly Island
• 1.44 – 1.48 South West and South of Dangerous Ground
• *Amboyna Cay, Southwest Bank, Rifleman Bank, Swallow Reef

  Territorial disputes