As spring swings into the nation, an increasing number of tourists and photographers have flocked to the coast of Laomei Borough (老 梅) in New Taipei City, drawn by the “Green Stone Trenches” geological wonder.
Over the four-day holiday weekend, photographers arrived at the seaside with cameras and tripods, before waiting patiently for the moment when crashing waves collide with the verdant stone trenches.
These naturally formed trenches are volcanic sedimentary rocks from eruptions of the Datun volcano group of which soft components have been eroded by the sea, a North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration tour guide said.
Photo: Lee Ya-wen, Taipei Times
Because of the waves stirred by the northeastern monsoon during winter, an abundance of algae, such as Ulva lactuca, known as sea lettuce, and Ulva compressa, grow along the trenches, covering them with shades of green that intensify during spring and fade with the arrival of summer, said the tour guide, who declined to be named.
Since the stone trenches are submerged during high tides, visitors are advised to look up information on waves in New Taipei City’s Shihmen District (石門) before heading out, agency officials said.
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