Chronicles of Truong Sa: ‘Eyes of God’ in a remote island

Amidst thousands of seas, officials and employees of Lighthouse stations day and night silently dedicate their youth so that the Lighthouse never goes out. That ‘divine eye’ not only illuminates the way for ships to pass in the dark, but also affirms the landmark of sovereignty over the country’s sea and islands.

Mr. Pham Van Thuong (Nam Yet Lighthouse) cleans and maintains the “magic eye” The “divine eyes” During the voyage, every time the ship 571 anchored to the shore while it was still dark, the only thing for us to know the island’s location was from the light of the Lighthouse, also known as the “magic eye”. According to a sailor, currently on the islands and points of Truong Sa island, there are 9 lighthouses in Da Lat, An Bang, Da Tay, Tien Nu, Song Tu Tay, Truong Sa Lon, Sinh Ton, Son Ca and Nam Yet islands. . All 9 lighthouses are operated and maintained by engineers, officers and employees of the East Sea and Islands Maritime Safety Company. The construction of the lighthouse station on the islands was started when the international shipping route expanded at sea and to meet the requirements of protecting the Fatherland in the new situation. In particular, Song Tu Tay lighthouse was first built on the archipelago (1993), 17 nautical miles away from which ships can see bright white lights, single blinking every 15 seconds. The construction of the Lighthouse depends on the geology and coral background. On Song Tu Tay island, the lighthouse is built in the shape of a circular tower in the east of the island; The lighthouse on Da Lat island is built in the shape of an arrow on a coral background, has an iron and steel structure with flower slanting holes to reduce the acceleration of the wind, while the lighthouse on Son Ca island has a cylindrical shape… Son Ca island lighthouse stands tall like a fortress, standing tall in the middle of the ocean and is considered the most beautiful lighthouse in the 9 lighthouses in the Truong Sa archipelago. Tran Van Chien – Head of Son Ca Lighthouse said: “Son Ca lighthouse is 28m high, 25.5m bright center, group 2 white flash, 10 seconds period, 15 nautical miles effective range. During the day, in good weather, dozens of nautical miles away from passing ships can be seen. The lighthouse operates from 5:30 p.m. the previous day to 5:30 a.m. the next morning. On a day with thunderstorms, fog, or bad weather, the lights must be turned on earlier and turned off later. When there is a problem, the main light is damaged, the auxiliary light will be turned on for replacement and the main lamp must be repaired immediately. Under no circumstances shall the Lighthouse be turned off. Because the lighthouse is not only a landmark for ships operating in the area, but also a light of national sovereignty at sea. The “lighters” With the task of not letting the Lighthouse be turned off under any circumstances, engineers, officers and employees of the East Sea and Islands Maritime Safety Company must work day and night. The environment is harsh, often in contact with batteries, acids, mechanical equipment, and conductive objects, but they always fulfill their noble duties. They are considered to be diligent “lighters”, so that the flame of love for their homeland and country always shines. Their idyllic work is a silent sacrifice, the Lighthouse shines with time, which means that their hair is partly gray because of the sun and wind. Son Ca Lighthouse Station Mr. Pham Van Thuong (SN 1990, Nam Yet Lighthouse Station) worked for 4 years in the profession and went to 6 islands to do his duty. “Due to saltwater contamination, the lighthouses are often rusted, if not maintained continuously, the lights are easy to catch fire. Whether it’s scorching sun or howling wind and rain, we have to climb to the top of the lamp post for periodic cleaning and maintenance. At a height of tens of meters, it only takes a small mistake to have an accident. When the sea is rough, at the lighthouse stations on the island, the waves hit the ground floor. Every 15 minutes, the brothers have to take turns on duty to check the technical parameters. Now there is solar power, so it’s less difficult, but before, it was very tiring to use the generator to generate electricity. It was an opportunity for me to come to the profession,” said Pham Van Thuong. The “magic eye” is never allowed to turn off, because it is lit from the hearts of all officers and employees of the Stations and the naval soldiers guarding the rooster of the Fatherland on a remote island… As a senior in the profession of “lighting lighthouses” for more than 24 years, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuan (SN 1976, Song Tu Tay Lighthouse Station) has celebrated Tet more than 15 times on the island. Mr. Tuan confided: “Working in harsh climates and poor conditions, although it is hard, it has trained me more will and bravery. I am proud to work in Truong Sa. Looking at the bright lights in the black sky, I feel that my country is too sacred. Each flash is the breath and life of the person lighting the fire. To do this job, you must love the job, love the sea and islands of the homeland to complete the task well.” Mr. Bui Van Son (Chief of Sinh Ton Lighthouse Station) is considered an ancient tree of lighthouse stations in Truong Sa. With a period of more than 25 years, Mr. Son has gone to all 9 stations, with the lighthouse he went to for the fifth time. “Each station has its own look, different facilities and conditions. As the station chief, I had to balance the food, calculate how it was reasonable, and then call the mainland to buy what’s urgent so that my brothers and sisters would be less needy. In addition to regulating the work in the station, I often capture the emotional feelings of the staff, timely motivate, help people overcome difficulties. Along with carrying out the task of training and practicing island defense plans, contributing to strengthening the island’s combat strength when situations arise, sports and cultural exchanges are also maintained. We all came together very naturally, the brothers on the station lived more together than with their families,” said Mr. Son. Lighthouse lights run on solar power and automatically turn on and off when it gets dark, but always ensure that the engine and generator operate normally in all conditions, especially prolonged rainstorms. Salt vapor and sea breeze easily damage machinery and technical equipment, so officers and employees must regularly check, preserve and maintain equipment on the station. The “magic eye” is never allowed to turn off, because it is lit from the hearts of every officer, station staff and the navy soldiers guarding the rooster of the Fatherland on a remote island…