Green Island Lighthouse Introduction
In December 1937, the largest luxury ocean liner in the world at the time, the President Hoover, departed from Keelung for the Philippines. Due to dense fog, it ran aground in the waters off Green Island (Chaikou). The next morning, residents of Green Island sent out small boats to rescue the crew and tourists, gradually bringing them ashore and accommodating them in their homes, receiving widespread praise internationally. To thank the residents for their courageous efforts, American authorities donated funds through the Red Cross to build the Green Island Lighthouse. During World War II, the lighthouse was destroyed in an air raid, and the lighthouse seen today was rebuilt by the National Government in 1948. The Green Island Lighthouse stands about 33.3 meters tall and has 150 steps; from the top, one can overlook the entire island. The structure is made of reinforced concrete with a cylindrical shape, originally featuring a black and white striped pattern, and the external walls of the buildings and fence were covered with pebbles. After its reconstruction in 1948, it was entirely painted pure white. The current lighthouse is equipped with a modern fourth-order rotating lens and alternating current lamp, flashing white light twice every 20 seconds, with a light intensity equivalent to one million candle-power, providing mariners with a reliable source for navigation. Since 2013, all lighthouses in Taiwan have been managed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Navigation and Aviation Safety Administration, and the tower is not open to the public. Only the surrounding area of the Green Island Lighthouse is open for public sightseeing. From March to May each year, the wild lilies bloom on Green Island, offering visitors a chance to admire large fields of wild lilies in front of the lighthouse.
