Dubbed “blue tears” by local residents, bioluminescence along the shore of Kinmen in spring has become a major tourist attraction for the outlying county.
The natural phenomenon was first observed a long time ago, but has only become a popular tourist attraction since the county opened up its coastline to tourists in recent years, the Kinmen County Fisheries Research Institute said.
Blue tears are formed when clusters of bioluminescent marine algae are disturbed by waves, said Li Chia-fa (李家發), a lead researcher at the institute.
Photo: CNA, courtesy of the Kinmen Photographers’ Association
The phenomenon is prevalent in warm seawater in April and May.
In the past, blue tears were associated not with Kinmen, but the Matsu Islands of Lienchiang County, which was thought to be the only location in Taiwan where it occurred, the institute said.
Hsu Chin-hsi (許進西), who heads the Kinmen Photographers’ Association, said that Kinmen’s topography makes it easier for visitors to get up close to the natural phenomenon.
People can even hold the glowing algae in their hands, whereas in Matsu it can only be viewed in the distance from a beach, Hsu said.
Blue tears can only be seen clearly in near-pitch darkness. Even the moon affects visibility, the association said.
The research institute plans to introduce an ecological tour based on the phenomenon to educate the public about environmental protection and conservation, while addressing such issues as marine pollution, Li said.
People wanting to see blue tears can also visit a pond in Jiougang Borough (舊港) in Kaohsiung’s Mituo District (彌陀), where they have been seen.
News that sparkles were sighted in a pond in the borough was reported last year, but the site is hard to find and the terrain is difficult to traverse, leading to many instances of visitors falling into ditches or becoming lost, residents said.
Groups are visiting the area as news of the phenomenon spreads, residents said.
Jiougang Police Chief Ou Chien-ming (毆建銘) said that the police station has set up an area to provide instructions on how to get to the pond, as many people go there to ask for directions.
The station urged visitors to refrain from driving on the narrow paths near the pond and to drive slowly at night.
People should not get too close to the edge of the pond, as they might fall in, and should refrain from feeding fish in the pond, as it could harm the pond’s ecology, the station said.
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