Beigan North Sea Tunnel Introduction
The North Sea Tunnel, an engineering marvel created through manual excavation, began its construction in 1968 as part of the "North Sea Project" for strategic purposes. This project involved the digging of several "underground docks" in the Matsu region, specifically designed for the mooring of guerrilla war vessels. Today, after being released by the military, these sites have become unique "battlefield landscapes" in Matsu. A visit to the North Sea Tunnel is considered essential; it would be akin to having not visited Matsu if one misses this attraction. Located along the rocky coastline, the North Sea Tunnel is a waterway that extends deep into the mountain, penetrating through rock walls in a crisscross "井" shape. The waterway is 18 meters high, 10 meters wide, and 640 meters long, with water levels reaching 8 meters during high tide and decreasing to 4 meters during low tide. The entire walking trail measures 700 meters, and a complete circuit takes about 30 minutes, but visitors must enter in accordance with the tidal schedule and can only visit during low tide. This underground tunnel can accommodate over a hundred landing craft and was initially seen as a challenging engineering feat. The construction involved two divisions, three infantry battalions, one engineer battalion, and a mixed unit of unloading trucks, who worked day and night in three shifts. After 820 days of labor, the project was completed. Given the rudimentary construction equipment at the time, the site relied heavily on explosives and manual labor, meticulously chiseling through granite rock, which unfortunately resulted in casualties among the soldiers. The enormity and difficulty of the project are often described as a miraculous achievement. In the past, when the clouds of war loomed, the North Sea Tunnel was intended to serve as a supply depot for underground docking. Today, as visitors enter the deep tunnel, they are greeted with magnificent rock walls and dimly floating reflections that evoke spontaneous admiration. Note: The site is open for public visits, but conditions of entry depend on the tidal schedule; guests should be mindful of the tide times! Nighttime rowing: A good place to see "blue tears." In recent years, the discovery of "blue tears" and the relatively low light pollution at the entrance of the tunnel have made North Sea Tunnel one of the hotspots for viewing this phenomenon. Visitors can take rowing boats gently into the tunnel to search for the faint glow of this natural wonder, which makes for an incredible experience. Please note: "Blue tears" is a natural phenomenon, and the conditions for their formation cannot be predicted. Flash photography is prohibited, and for safety reasons, standing up or changing seats during the ride is not allowed.
