Coutts Bank, Sulu Sea, Philippines

[Malcolm Coutts]

UNITED STATES COAST PILOT 

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 

PALAWAN, MIHDAHAO, AID SOLO ARCHIPELAGO 

 

CABTTLAUAN ISLANDS

 

are a small group of islands situated eastward of Linapacan Island,

comprising Cabulauan, Nanga, Nangalao, Magranting, and Tubug

Islands. The latter two are connected with Nangalao. They are all

high and rocky. Cabulauan has a conspicuous rounding summit near

the east shore which rises to a height of 775 feet. Along the south

and west shores there are hills of lesser elevation. Nangalao Island

rises to a height of 760 feet with lesser summits eastward and south-

westward of the highest point. All the islands are sparsely wooded.

Two rocky islets, 25 feet and 10 feet high, lie about 1%, miles south-

ward of Cabulauan Island. There is a shoal, with a least known

depth of 4% fathoms, 1% miles eastward, and another shoal, with

3% fathoms, 3 miles southeastward of Cabulauan Island.

 

Salimbubuc Island, 100 feet high, Canaron Island, 335 feet high, and

Solitario Rock, 25 feet high, lie southeast of the Cabulauan Islands,

rising out of a general depth of 30 to 40 fathoms of water. There is

a 1^4-fathom shoal 8 miles westerly of Canaron Island. The area

southward and southeastward of these islands has not yet been com-

pletely surveyed. While apparently clear, vessels should use due

care if compelled to pass through this area.

 

Shoals. — Framjee Bank, Magallanes Bank, Narvaez Bank, Alpha

Shoal, Beta Shoal, Aguirre Reef, Coutts Bank, Falmouth Banks,

Areta Shoals, Panay Bank, Loreto Reef, Basco Beef, Alipio Reef,

and a number of unnamed shoals and banks lie in the area eastward

and southeastward of the Calamian group of islands. Their position

and characteristics can readily be understood by reference to the

chart. Discolored water generally marks those with less than 8 fath-

oms of water on them, but vessels will do well to avoid anything less

than 10 fathoms, as large coral bowlders lie on some of them and the

least depth may not have been found during the survey.