The sea and sky of Bach Long Vi
A delegation from the Navy's Region I, along with representatives from several central agencies and journalists, visited Bach Long Vi, the heroic island. A frontline of the Fatherland awaited us, bathed in sunshine and the gentle breeze of the East Sea.
(Baonghean)A delegation from the Navy's Region I, along with representatives from several central agencies and journalists, visited Bach Long Vi, the heroic island. A frontline of the Fatherland awaited us, bathed in sunshine and the gentle breeze of the East Sea.
After more than 10 hours of battling the waves throughout the night, the HQ 635 ship of the Naval Region A brought us to Bach Long Vi Island. The Bach Long Vi harbor, like two giant, dark crab claws, stretched out to welcome us amidst the flickering, sleepy lights of the fishermen. On the pier, the dark green uniforms of the naval soldiers and volunteer youth were already visible… I suddenly felt a pang of nostalgia, remembering a time when Bach Long Vi was an island of fire, an island of steel, an unsinkable warship. The resilient soldiers and people of Bach Long Vi shot down 25 American enemy aircraft, becoming a Heroic Unit of the People's Armed Forces, worthy of being the outpost island of the Fatherland in the Gulf of Tonkin. My heart suddenly swelled with the melody of the song "Bach Long Vi, My Homeland Island," evoking so many memories of a tragic era…
Bach Long Vi - The breaststone that protects against the waves of the East Sea.
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Bach Long Vi Island is located 133km southeast of Hai Phong city. Legend says that a white dragon descended from the sky and settled in the Quang Ninh - Hai Phong sea region. The dragon's head and body belong to Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh, while its tail is Bach Long Vi Island. However, even then and for a long time afterward, Bach Long Vi remained a desolate island, covered only in cacti and white sand, seemingly completely isolated from the mainland. Besides the name White Dragon's Tail, Bach Long Vi was also formerly known as Vo Thuy Island (meaning "without water"). Later, it was called Phu Thuy Chau (meaning "pearl floating on the water"), and the remnants of Thuy Chau village still remain on the island today.
Bach Long Vy is Vietnam's most remote island in the Gulf of Tonkin. Its geographical coordinates are (20°07'35'' and 20°08'36'' North latitude; 107°42'20'' - 107°44'15'' East longitude). Due to its central location in the Gulf (110 km from Hon Dau Island - Hai Phong, 70 km from Ha Mai Island, and 130 km from Ta Chiao Cape - Hainan), the island holds a crucial position in expanding maritime zones and delimiting the Gulf of Tonkin. Furthermore, the island is situated in one of the Gulf's eight major fishing grounds, playing a vital role in Vietnam's strategic economic development, security, and defense in the Gulf of Tonkin.
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During the fierce years of war, especially after August 5, 1964, Bach Long Vi Island became one of the key targets of the American imperialists' attacks. They once declared their intention to "flatten Bach Long Vi Island in the Gulf of Tonkin," with thousands of aircraft and warships bombarding this island of just over 2.3 square kilometers. Hundreds of tons of bombs and ammunition were dropped, with each square meter of the island's surface receiving up to three bombs and dozens of artillery shells. But with the oath "As long as there are people, there is the island," armed only with rifles, submachine guns, and 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine guns, the soldiers of Battalion 152 and the militia shot down 25 modern American aircraft right in the skies above the island. On December 31, 1973, Battalion 152 was awarded the title of "Heroic Unit of the People's Armed Forces" by the Party and the State. The island also received greetings from President Fidel Castro and the fraternal Cuban people, a medal from the World Peace Council, and even mementos from beloved Uncle Ho. These are sources of encouragement and inspiration for the soldiers and people of Bach Long Vi Island to remain steadfast and resilient at the forefront of the waves.
Peaceful island town
Leaving the ship HQ 635 and stepping onto the harbor, a newly built facility with a capacity of 500 boats, the island welcomed us with the peaceful charm of a small town. Cacti, a plant closely associated with the island, covered the shallow areas. In every season, the island's cacti bloom. Amidst the harsh sea breeze and salty mist, each yellow flower of this resilient plant is like a spark of hope, peaceful yet steadfast.
Along the winding concrete roads around the island, new houses have sprung up, including many stylish villas and spacious offices nestled amidst pine and fruit trees. Several rows of market stalls offer a full range of fresh fish, squid, and vegetables. On both sides of the road, restaurants, barbershops, post offices, and karaoke bars fill the air with music. Dogs calmly watch the distant visitors. A touch of mainland charm in the heart of the island town.
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Ms. Nguyen Thi Le, originally from Thuy Nguyen (Hai Phong), was busily rearranging the fresh vegetables sent from the mainland to her vegetable and fish shop while chatting. She and her husband have been on the island for five years and currently have two children, the eldest being 11 years old. Each month, there are about 3-4 boat trips to the island, and her goods are also sent by boat. "My husband and I have decided to stay on the island long-term; our children have become accustomed to living here. Besides, business here is doing reasonably well," Ms. Le confided.
At the beginning of the concrete road, several women from the fishing community hurried to sell their freshly caught shrimp and fish from the previous night in the island town early in the morning to keep them fresh. A bucket of abalone was nestled under a clump of oleander to avoid the sun, waiting for buyers. Large snails and sea cucumbers, once specialties of Bach Long Vi, are now rare because, for a while, they were left to float freely, and fishermen over-harvested them.
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In Bach Long Vi, besides the uniforms of the navy, army, and border guards, we encountered the faded green of the Youth Volunteer Corps' uniforms almost everywhere, as they are the core shock force on the island. The Youth Volunteer Corps participated in building the Red River Youth Park, the Central Cultural Park, the General Hospital, and the Monument to the Heroes and Martyrs who fell defending the airspace and sea of the Fatherland, giving Bach Long Vi its present appearance. The Youth Volunteer Corps also participated in reforestation to bring greenery to the island...
The mark of international friendship remains in the forest of the Bach Long Vi Red Cross Friendship Association, Vietnam - Kitakanto, Japan. Thousands of trees, tons of vegetables, and food produced through self-sufficiency efforts are all imbued with the sweat of the young volunteers. Having been present on the island for 18 years, the Youth Volunteers have become an indispensable part of the island's harsh environment, enduring the storms and challenges of this border region. The 57 members, plus 3 commanders of the Youth Volunteer Brigade, each with their own personality and circumstances, share a common ideal: to leave for a better future, undeterred by hardship.
Currently, the Youth Volunteer Force has 35 households, of which about 15 are homes for female volunteers and young male soldiers. In a corner of the Central Cultural Park, a group of members are diligently trimming the hedges in the park, which looks like a villa garden. Member Vu Thi Ngoc Bich, 19 years old, is in the prime of her youth, her face radiant with a few drops of sweat clinging to the brim of her floppy hat. Bich is from Tien Lang (Hai Phong) and has been on the island for four years. "At first, my parents strongly objected, thinking about the hardships of being a girl far from home, but I was determined to join the Youth Volunteer Force, and besides, I have my uncles and aunts here...!" Bich smiled. "And what about a boyfriend?" The young member blushed again. "I've already fallen in love with the island, so I haven't thought about that yet."
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The island's population is quite diverse: households; volunteer youth; civil servants and officials from district departments; the Fisheries Logistics Service Center; the Meteorological and Hydrological Station; the Maritime Security Unit, the Post Office, and several businesses. In addition, there is a large transient population from fishing boats anchored around the island (at times up to 800) and many fishing vessels that come here to buy and trade seafood, sometimes up to 120 boats.
Four residential clusters have formed on the island, concentrated in the southwest and southeast, behind the port and boat anchorage area. The island's population consists mostly of working-age adults, mostly men, with three main occupational groups: fishing, seafood exploitation and services, and livestock farming and agriculture.
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Fishery activities on the island mainly involve abalone diving and coastal fishing, in addition to catching sea cucumbers. Before 1988, grouper and snapper could be caught using hook and net methods, yielding about 40-50 tons, while abalone yielded about 30-40 tons of fresh abalone annually. Abalone diving was in season from January to August.
See you again, on the distant island.
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On our way back to the pier to return to the HQ 935 ship, preparing to say goodbye to Bach Long Vi, we encountered clusters of cacti blooming yellow on the sand dunes. The national flag fluttered in front of the houses, its red stripes contrasting against the green of the trees, the island, and the sky. As Captain Dang Cong Thanh saw us off at the harbor, he said: “If you have the chance, I invite you all to come to the island to celebrate Tet with the Youth Volunteers and soldiers here. Tet in Bach Long Vi has many joyful things that you won't find on the mainland…”
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Now, Bach Long Vi has truly recovered from the devastating effects of Typhoon No. 10 (late 2009). Around the island, there are no longer any traces of the days spent battling the storm. The broken television transmission tower has been reinstalled. The wind turbines – a symbol of Bach Long Vi – that were knocked down have also been restored. The roofs of government offices that were blown off, and the fallen casuarina trees scattered across the island after the storm, are now only memories for the younger islanders. The sound of children studying once again echoes from the spacious two-story primary and kindergarten school. And boats are peacefully returning to the Bach Long Vi harbor, preparing for days at sea with holds full of fish.
Tran Hai