Gubu Islet Introduction
Guanyin Island is located to the northwest of Baisha and to the southwest of Jibei, consisting of basalt and forming a mesa. It is approximately 1 kilometer long from north to south and is the largest uninhabited island in the Penghu archipelago. The island features porous basalt in many areas, covered with a layer of iron-rich quartz sandstone, creating a striking contrast. Guanyin Island is situated in Baisha Township, Penghu County, Taiwan, and is also the largest uninhabited island in the North Sea. The island is oriented from north to south, measuring about one kilometer in length, and consists mainly of four land masses and three narrow straits forming the mesa. There is a large wave-cut platform on the northern coast and natural white sandy beach bays on both the northern and southern sections of the eastern coast. At Guanyin Island's harbor, there is a "British Shipwreck Memorial," which is located at the highest point on the island. The wave-cut platform on the northern coast has been bathed by waves for many years and is a famous natural production area for high-quality laver. Every winter during the harvesting season, villagers from Chik'an travel by boat to gather the seaweed, creating a lively scene reminiscent of a bustling seaside market. Guanyin Island is renowned for wild seaweed production; locals refer to it as "black gold." The northern side of Guanyin Island is a natural wild laver area that is completely unpolluted, with a growing season from late October to the end of March the following year. In winter, strong northeast monsoons and crashing waves promote laver growth, making it the harvesting season, also known as "black gold picking" season. The waters between Guanyin Island and Baisha Island are the largest fishing grounds for longtail tuna, with the peak season for catching longtail tuna occurring from April to September. May is the spawning period for longtail tuna, which is a critical time for their ecological sustainability, hence fishing is prohibited during this time.
