The "heroes" who preserve the blue of the ocean.

People often remember Ha Long Bay for the beauty of its clear blue beaches. But few know that behind that scenery are ships departing from the harbor at dawn, and people quietly working day after day to preserve the blue color of the sea.

From 6:30 a.m., Mr. Do Van Lan's (born in 1954) small boat, along with his colleagues, leaves the dock and circles along familiar waterways. Their work rhythm is steady, with almost no breaks: some observe, some hold nets, some steer the boat…

Mr. Lan and his colleagues' boat started working early in the morning.

Mr. Lan has only been doing this job for two years, while his two companions have been with him for four years and nearly ten years, respectively. They don't talk much on the boat; the only sounds are usually the engine and the waves, as all their focus is on the water. Whenever they spot floating trash, Mr. Lan stands firmly at the bow, quickly and skillfully lowers his long net, scoops it up, and dumps it into a bin. The collected trash is sorted right on the deck, divided into designated bins, and then brought ashore at the end of the day.

Mr. Lan used a long net to collect and sort the trash right on the boat.

Clusters of floating trash were collected from the sea.

Mr. Lan shared: "We use nets to collect and sort the trash, then bring it ashore for proper processing. This job is hard work. Some days there's so much trash that my hands ache terribly, and the sun is scorching. But after collecting it, I feel a sense of relief."

The waste is sorted into categories before being brought ashore for processing.

Those calloused hands were accustomed to the work.

Mr. Pham Van Son (born in 1958) is the boat driver. His job may seem easy, but it requires constant concentration: observing, keeping the boat stable so the person at the front can operate it, and proactively navigating according to each cluster of floating debris. When the sun is strong and the water is glaring, seeing the debris becomes even more difficult. "Driving the boat requires constant concentration, maintaining the boat's stability, and having sharp eyesight," Mr. Son said.

Mr. Son steered the small boat, guiding the group along stretches of water that were frequently littered with trash.

They finish their morning shift around 11 a.m., take a short break, and then start a new round of water cleaning in the early afternoon. This work repeats every day, almost without change. But thanks to this, the water retains its clarity and pristine beauty.

The silent "heroes" use patience to preserve the green heritage.

The sun sets, the ship returns to port, but tomorrow the journey will begin again. They are the "heroes" without capes, but with their hands and patience they have preserved the beauty of the sea. And perhaps, what they long for most is not praise, but to see less and less trash on the surface of the sea. So that the blue of Ha Long Bay will remain forever blue, and so that the burden on their shoulders may be lessened.

Nguyen Tuong Vy

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/nhung-nguoi-hung-giu-gin-mau-xanh-bien-ca-3387728.html