"God's Eye" of Central Vietnam at the foot of Hai Van peak
Tùng Anh•05/09/2024
(Dan Tri) - Son Cha or Hon Chao is a small, pristine island located at the foot of Hai Van peak. Here, Thua Thien Hue province's border guards guard day and night, ensuring national sovereignty and border security.
About 10 nautical miles from the mainland, from afar, Son Cha Island emerges like an upside-down pan, so it is also called Hon Chao. The island is about 1.5 square kilometers wide but has a full range of terrain and biodiversity. The sea area around Hon Chao has many coral reefs, seaweed, giant oysters, mussels, clams, many species of fish, squid, etc. According to historical records, in the past, the Hon Chao area was the border area between Dai Viet and Champa. At one point, the island was named Huyen Tran to commemorate the princess who opened the land. During the reign of King Quang Trung, on one of his visits here, he saw the island surrounded by a deep blue color, so he changed the name to Ngoc Island. During the Nguyen Dynasty, the island had another name, Cu Lao Han. During the French colonial period, the island was called Son Cha and that name has remained to this day. Son Cha was formed from the seaward extension of the Hai Van mountain range, a branch of the Truong Son mountain range, 238m above sea level. The island has a very special position, being the outpost of national security and defense of the central coastal region, likened to a "divine eye" that can see key locations on sea and land. On the island there is a beach with fine white sand and clear blue water, which has been exploited for tourism. However, due to many factors, the activity of bringing tourists to Son Cha Island for sightseeing has now been temporarily suspended. A giant natural elephant ear oyster caught by Lang Co fishermen in the Son Cha area. This is a typical and very famous seafood of Lang Co Bay, which is known as one of the most beautiful bays in the world. On the island, there is Son Cha Border Control Station, belonging to Lang Co Border Post (Border Guard of Thua Thien Hue Province), which directly manages and protects the sovereignty of the sea, islands, and security of the national border, helping fishermen in emergency situations. Located at the highest peak of Hon Chao is Son Tra Lighthouse Station, belonging to the Northern Maritime Safety Corporation (Ministry of Transport). The project was built in 2007 to guide ships safely entering and exiting the sea.
The patrol routes are full of hardships and challenges for the border guards stationed on Son Cha Island. Staying in the middle of the ocean, every day they have to cross mountains and rapids to protect the island. Although it is only 1.5 square kilometers wide, to cover the entire area, they have to wake up at cockcrow and return to the station at dusk. That is in the summer, when it is windy and rainy, there are unexpected events that cannot be calculated for the time as well as lurking dangers. A Da Nang fishing boat passes Son Cha Island while going out to sea to exploit seafood. In recent times, border guards on the island have repeatedly supported, participated in rescue, and helped fishermen when their boats were in trouble. Typically, in 2023, a fishing boat unfortunately crashed into a rock, the boat was damaged, and fishermen had to swim to the island for help. Or most recently, a small boat was sunk by waves near the island. After receiving the information, Son Cha Border Control Station promptly assisted fishermen in salvaging the boat. According to Major Nguyen Tat Dat, Son Cha Border Control Station, the border soldiers stationed on the island have the task of protecting the sovereignty of the sea, islands, border security, and at the same time grasping the situation at sea to promptly report to their superiors. During their work, the soldiers encountered many difficulties in the supply of necessities, electricity, water, especially means of transportation. In winter, they had to stock up on dried foods such as shrimp, fish, prawns, etc. to serve their daily needs. However, the soldiers on Son Cha island tried to overcome this and increase production to improve the quality of their meals and ensure their health. The soldiers were always united, upholding the spirit of discipline and supporting each other in work and life, thereby completing their assigned tasks well.
Some fruits are grown by the soldiers of Son Cha island for self-sufficiency. In addition to rice, fish sauce, salt and other spices, officers and soldiers always have to take the initiative to grow and produce vegetables. Because the land area here is scarce and affected by salt water and sea winds, taking care of the gourd trellis, vegetable beds, raising chickens, etc. is a great effort of the soldiers.
Lieutenant Colonel Le Ba Hung, Head of Lang Co Border Guard Station (Border Guard of Thua Thien Hue Province), said that the unit is assigned to protect the entire Son Cha island area. On the island alone, there is a working team, on duty 24/7. Every year, the unit develops a plan to protect the airspace and sea, assigning specific tasks to each working team and each soldier. Officers and soldiers on Son Cha island are assigned to patrol, guard to protect the peace of the island, protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the country, participate in rescue work, support people during the rainy and stormy season, and when in trouble at sea. In recent times, the border guards on Son Tra island have created a close, intimate relationship, strengthening the military-civilian bond. They are trusted by the people and are ready to support in any possible situation, especially in supporting boats to enter and exit the shore, transporting food, provisions and other necessities.
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