Article 8: Truong Sa’s magical vitality

Khanh Hoa (VNA) - Truong Sa, a sacred land in the sky and sea, is not only a garrison to safeguard national waters of the naval soldiers but also the homeland, where many children were born, where love grows with national pride.

Coming to Truong Sa, few people learn that there are 131 stormy days every year and 13-20 days of strong wind every month. But no matter how big the waves and winds are, the vitality is always full of strength at the front of the wave.

Across the floating and the submerged islands of Truong Sa archipelago today, everywhere appears a clear blue. It is the colour of vitality, faith and hope.

Under the canopy of fish poison (barringtonia asiatica), octopus bush (heliotropium foertherianum) and sea lettuce (scaevola taccada) trees, people are sitting and talking cheerfully. The green vegetable gardens, flocks of sleeping pigs and chickens, all remind people of a lively countryside.

Every day, in addition to guarding the airspace and the sea, the naval soldiers also increase the production, save every drop of fresh water, spend time cultivating green vegetables, rearing poultry, cattle, and fishing, self supplying part of fresh food.

If inland, growing vegetables is too normal, in the middle of the immense sea, there is only sand, sunshine, wind and coral, "precious as gold" fresh water, having green vegetable gardens around the year on the islands (especially on submerged islands) is truly extraordinary.

Vegetables are still green, flowers are still blooming among in Truong Sa despite high waves (Photo: Vietnam +)

In fact, in order to get the green color of fresh vegetables on the island, the way to grow vegetables also has its own characteristics depending on the "sinking" and "floating" factors of each island. If in the large floating islands of Truong Sa Lon, An Bang, vegetables are grown in small gardens, then in the submerged islands such as Thuyen Chai, Da Lat, Da Dong ... the island soldiers must plant vegetables in plastic trays and stone pots, placed in the room and on the roof.

Yet such islands as An Bang, Sinh Ton Dong still harvest more than 6 tonnes of vegetables each year, thereby ensuring that the soldiers always have vegetables three meals a day.

Not only growing green vegetables and taking care of ornamental plants to create landscapes among the high seas, officials and soldiers on Truong Sa archipelago have also actively implement effectively models of raising cattle and poultry, contributing to improving meals, ensuring soldiers’ health and contributing to successfully accomplish their mission.

Seen from above, the floating islands of Truong Sa are as beautiful as a tourist city with red tile houses, green roof glossy by solar panels, rows of fish poison, octopus bush and sea lettuce trees and arrogant tall fans.

Surrounded by long soft white sand connected to the deep blue sea, here, the wind and sunshine all year round with countless interesting things, but it is the wildness of nature such as wind energy, solar radiation that is an ideal condition for this place to invest in a clean and large-scale energy system.

Up to now, in the middle of the sea, solar and wind power have lighted 33 island points and rigs in Truong Sa archipelago, thereby providing up to 90% of the electricity demand for national security and defense activities on the sea and islands of the homeland./.

Truong Sa, the sacred land in the sky and the sea, is not only a garrison, but also a homeland, where many babies were born (Photo: Vietnam +)