Beigan North Sea Tunnel Introduction
The North Sea Tunnel, a marvel of human engineering, was excavated in 1968 as part of the "North Sea Project," initiated for strategic purposes in the Matsu region. It features numerous "underground docks" specifically intended for parking guerrilla warfare boats. Today, after the military's release of the site, it has become a unique "war-related landscape" in Matsu. A visit to the North Sea Tunnel is essential, as it is an integral part of the Matsu experience. Located along the 铁板 coastline, the North Sea Tunnel extends deeply into the mountains, cutting through rock walls in a "井" (well) shaped waterway. The waterway is 18 meters high, 10 meters wide, and 640 meters long, with water levels reaching 8 meters at high tide and 4 meters at low tide. The entire walking path is 700 meters long, taking about 30 minutes to complete, but visitors should only enter during low tide. This subterranean tunnel can accommodate over a hundred landing craft and was once considered a highly challenging engineering project. It required the mobilization of two divisions, three infantry battalions, one engineer battalion, and a mixed team of three dump truck companies, working around the clock for 820 workdays to finish. Given the rudimentary construction equipment at the time, much of the excavation relied on explosives and manual labor to carve through granite walls, resulting in sacrifices among soldiers. The project's grandeur and difficulty are regarded as a remarkable feat. In the past, during tumultuous times, the North Sea Tunnel attempted to serve as an underground docking facility. Today, as people walk into this profound tunnel, the magnificent rock walls and dark floating reflections evoke admiration among visitors. Note: The tunnel is open for visitor tours, but entry is subject to tidal conditions during the daytime. Please be mindful of the tidal schedule! Night Rowing: A Great Place to See Blue Tears In recent years, the discovery of "blue tears" and the minimal light pollution at the tunnel mouth have made the North Sea Tunnel one of the hotspots to witness these phenomena on Nangan Island. Visitors can ride a rowing boat, slowly gliding into the tunnel, seeking out the faintly glowing aura—a truly worthwhile experience. Note: Blue tears are a natural phenomenon, and their formation conditions are unpredictable. Please do not use flash photography, and for safety reasons, do not stand or change seats while sailing.
