7 days of work in Truong Sa

Prepare for the sea journey

Although I was quite busy and had been advised by my previous colleagues: “minimize everything, including the clothes you bring, so that they are polite, convenient and suitable for many activities both on the ship and on the island”, I was still excited and eager to prepare my luggage before leaving.

The author took a souvenir photo with members of the working delegation from the Navy Command before the ship left the port.

I was on the list of delegation number 15, departing in early May when the whole country had just finished the April 30-May 1 holiday. Our delegation number 15 had more than 220 delegates, including officials from Khanh Hoa province, the Central Propaganda Department, the Dak Lak and Nghe An provincial Party Committees, the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, along with businesses, artists and 15 journalists, from press agencies in Ha Tinh, Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Da Nang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Perhaps seasickness is the most “worrying” thing for many people in the working group going to the island. To calm my mind and hope that if I get seasick, I will minimize the feeling of “rocking”, I bought 10 bottles of anti-motion sickness medicine. The girl selling the medicine told me, “ Remember to take it 30 minutes before boarding the train or car, this medicine is only effective for 8 hours, after that you have to take it again ”. Looking at the 10 bottles of medicine in my hand, I was still worried that it would not be enough for the entire 7-day and night journey at sea.

Upon landing at Cam Ranh airport (Khanh Hoa), I was welcomed by officers and soldiers of Naval Region 4 to the X52 guesthouse of a naval unit located in Cam Ranh military port (Cam Ranh Military Base). According to everyone, being able to go to Truong Sa was an honor and luck, and being able to "sleep" in Cam Ranh military port was "extremely lucky".

Staying at the guest house with me were artists and reporters from Vietnam.net, VTV1, and the Navy Newspaper. Although the military guest room was quite simple, the reception from the “young soldiers” was very thoughtful and enthusiastic. Right at the first meal of the “soldiers”, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with other members of the delegation, including those who had been to Truong Sa.

Every year, the Ministry of National Defense and the Navy organize many trips to take delegations of people, government officials, and the Party to visit Truong Sa and DK-1 Platform.

It is known that every year, the Ministry of National Defense and the Navy create conditions for press reporters to follow working groups to visit and work with the military and people on Truong Sa Island and DK-1 Platform. However, with more than 20,500 journalists currently granted press cards, not everyone has the opportunity to participate in this special working trip.

Develop journalism skills and experience

Departing from Cam Ranh International Port on the morning of May 3 on ship number 571 of Squadron 411, Brigade 955, Naval Region 4 in favorable weather conditions for sea voyages.

During the 7-day journey, our group visited 6 floating and submerged islands and a platform. At each destination, we only had 2-3 hours to work. Therefore, the reporters tried their best to get on the first boat to the island.

Journalists and artists meet to discuss the schedule on the islands, DK-1 Platform, propaganda content and working methods.

Taking advantage of the time on board, I met and interviewed sailors, officers and delegates accompanying the delegation to hear them talk about their feelings and share their stories about Truong Sa.

Working for the first time in a special space, almost all of my initial thoughts, plans and even the interview questions prepared in advance were not used, because what I actually saw, heard and experienced on the ship and on the island was far different from what I had imagined. That made me change all my original plans about the content orientation before.

Besides the stories told by the characters, what surprised and impressed me the most were probably the lush green vegetable gardens and the well-planned livestock and poultry farms on the submerged and floating islands I stopped at.

Solar power system, wind power, vegetable garden in the Greening Truong Sa program on the islands: Dong A Reef, Sinh Ton, Truong Sa Lon

Along with that is the solar and wind power systems on the islands. It is known that the Greening Truong Sa Program includes activities such as: Planting trees, developing local food sources, building and developing renewable energy systems, protecting the environment, ecological landscapes, etc. The Navy has built a project along with scientific research to put the program into practice.

Another source of information for the reporters on board is through the news broadcast on board at 9pm every day. We journalists are assigned to each other, each journalist will be responsible for making a news report about the activities of the working group that takes place during the day, 2 journalists from Khanh Hoa Television Station are chosen to be the announcers of the program.

If on shore, when working, behind the reporter there is a whole team, but on the ship, the reporter has to take on all the stages of writing news, editing, technicians, announcers... Through this trip, I gained more experience working in the marine and island environment.

Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Le Ngoc Nam, Political Commissar of Da Tay Island Cluster

Unlike working conditions on the mainland, journalists working in Truong Sa face more difficulties due to the sunny and windy conditions. On the ship or on the island, they always feel like they are floating on the waves of the sea, but they still have to run and run to catch beautiful moments.

If we were slow to get on the boat to the island, it would be difficult to take beautiful photos and at the same time, we would not have much time to meet and interview the officers and soldiers on the island because the time the working group visited the islands was very fast and the work schedule was very tight.

Reporters filmed and interviewed people living on Sinh Ton Island.

Because of such conditions, despite being seasick and landsick, when arriving on the island, the journalists did not miss any opportunity during the voyage. They tried to express their emotions through every film, image, article and even emotional verses.

But for me, perhaps the most impressive images were the Memorial Ceremony for the soldiers who died in the Truong Sa archipelago and the Flag Raising Ceremony on the large Truong Sa island. Our trip coincided with the occasion when the whole country was celebrating the Liberation of the South, the reunification of the country, the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory.

Attending the meaningful flag-raising ceremony and directly touching the sovereignty marker at Truong Sa, a feeling that is both familiar and emotional, every branch of tree, blade of grass, and coral reef carries the breath of the ocean, of the homeland and of the shape of the country.

Having worked many times at the foot of Lung Cu Flagpole, the northernmost point, or Ca Mau Cape (southernmost point) of the country, and also at Dai Lanh - Mui Dien and the Unnumbered Wharf in Phu Yen, today I am even more proud and moved when standing in front of the Monument to the Heroic Martyrs in the vast seas and islands of the Fatherland.

From left to right, top to bottom, photo: Working Group No. 15 performs the flag-raising ceremony, parade on Truong Sa Lon Island, Memorial Ceremony for heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives on Truong Sa Archipelago and offers incense to commemorate heroic martyrs on Truong Sa Lon Island.

Whether in the rugged mountainous region of the motherland (Lung Cu) or the stormy Truong Sa, I believe that everyone who has been there will feel the love for their homeland and country always permeating their soul. Everywhere is home, built and nurtured from the blood and bones of many previous generations.

The 7-day voyage finally ended. The calls and text messages from the distant island were still sent to me every day, making Truong Sa still feel like it was right next to me. Indeed, Truong Sa is not far away.

Source: https://www.vietnam.vn/7-ngay-tac-nghiep-o-truong-sa/