Boat to Green Island

After landing, we were shuttled to Fugang （富岡) Harbour, where our hydrofoil turbojet waited for us to board. People had warned us of seasickness, and I was more or less preparing for the worst. Some people were stuffing their faces with local delicacies and coconut juice. They will later regret it.

The whole trip took less than an hour, and was more or less smooth 'sailing'. I stood outside on the deck the whole time. Though the waves were sometimes rough and the ship wobbled, I didn't feel sick. The ocean wind, and salty water waved against my hair and skin. The ship sailed eastward, toward Green Island （Ludao 綠島).

The island is a dead volcano some 33km from Taiwan proper. Because of the volcanic rock formations, it looks pitch black from afar, so was for a long time known as 'Fire-burnt Island' (火燒島). Especially at dusk, with red sun rays cast over the island, the island looks as if it is surrounded by flames. The island itself is around 16 sq km, with 2000 inhabitants, and many more tourists. For a long time, under the Kuomingtang terror regime, the island was an infamous 'Alcatraz', where the worst of mafia gangsters and political prisoners were held (and/or executed). Only in the recent years, since democratisation, has the island been opened to tourism. But the dark past is still a scar on the island. When I said I was going to Ludao for holiday, people (probably jokingly) asked whether I've been excommunicated.

I watched the roaring engines as we left Taiwan. White foam poured from beneath us, whitening the usually clear blue ocean. At one point, you could see the difference in colour as we approached deeper ocean. On one side it was aquamarine, on the other, the deeper ocean, it was deep navy blue. Now an then, flying fish fled from the flying path of our hydrofoil. These little fish have large fins that help them glide above the sea for tens of metres at a time. Around this time, it happens to be the flying fish season. I half expected to sea much more, but was disappointed when only now and then one or two would escape the deep blue and dart away in all directions. People also say that sometimes whales and dolphins emerge from the ocean and sail beside the ships. But this trip would prove this to be disappointing.

I watched the mesmorising deep blue, as we sloly approached Green Island, and left Formosa.
My mind wandered. As Formosa's mountains disappeared into the haze, I thought of those political prisoners and prisoners of conscience so many years ago... For some, this view of the Formosa disappearing into the haze must be the last they will ever see of home. The deep, deep blue- so reflected of what they must have felt! How many innocent lives were separated by the ocean? What amount of salty tears must have flowed! The mid-day sun, clear skies and boundless ocean sea-scape was a stark contrast to what was going on in my mind...

As Green Island appeared from within the cage of mist as suddenly as Formosa disappeared, my mood quickly turned to excitement. As we approached Nanliao （南寮) Harbour, the island looked like a huge whale, with two humped backs and a long tail which sunk into the ocean.

Land ahoy!