This winter, cold spells have constantly swept across the northern and central regions, causing rough seas and preventing our ship from setting off to the island. A delegation from the district Party and administration had to stay in the mainland for a whole month after attending the year-end review meeting of the province.

Le Quang Lanh, Secretary of the district Party Committee and chairman of the district People’s Committee, said travel between the mainland and the island remains a big worry for soldiers and islanders. Currently, two vessels are deployed to serve islanders’ travel needs and to transport goods to the island. However, they have a small capacity and can only set sail on calm seas.  

Our ship departed from Tien Sa port in Da Nang City in the evening and arrived at Con Co island the next morning. Early sunrise tempered the piercing cold of mid-winter and the island gradually appeared in a thin layer of fog. Leafless trees, which were hit by tropical storm No7 last year, had begun budding, signalling an early spring for the island.

We were warmly welcomed at Con Co quay by officers and soldiers stationed on the island. We presented them with Tet gifts including square-shaped sticky rice cake (Banh Chung), pork, sweets, fruit preserves and bowls of yellow apricot. We called on army units, border guards, families of a village of young volunteers, and teachers and children of Hoa Phong Ba preschool. Wherever we travelled, we felt the island was filled with the New Year atmosphere.

At the island district military command, officers and soldiers were busy refurbishing the building and preparing dishes, including Banh Chung, for Tet.

Lieutenant colonel Pham Vu Lam, a political commissar of the command, said all officers and soldiers agreed to stay on the island to enjoy this Tet holiday. To make the must of the festival, they have grown vegetables and raised goats and cows to ensure quality ingredients for their dishes.

In the shadow of the coconut trees was a row of 15 houses donated by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee to young volunteer families on the island. When we came, they were cleaning their houses for the Tet holiday.

We dropped in a house owned by Tran Xuan Tinh and Vo Thi Sao – a couple from Vinh Linh district, Quang Tri province, who volunteered to stay on the island six years ago.

“We have celebrated the Tet holiday on the island five times,” said Tinh. “The first year, I was still single, so I returned to my hometown for Tet. After I got married and had a baby, I decided to stay on the island for Tet. We have grown vegetables and raised cows, pigs, chicken and ducks for our daily meals. Before the Tet holiday, we only had to receive sticky rice, sweets and jam from the mainland. Everying else we can do ourselves.”

Tending vegetables on the island

After six years, 15 families in the village of young volunteers have stabilised their lives. Many young people have got married and given birth to 12 children, with the oldest aged 5.

Hoa Phong Ba preschool has been built by the Youth Union Central Committee and two young teachers have volunteered to stay on the island to take care of the children. One of them, Pham Thi Hieu from Vinh Linh district, said she does not feel desperately home sick every time Tet approaches because she is part of a ‘family’ of children, neighbours and soldiers stationed on the island.

This spring, soldiers and others on the island alike are happy, for the district youth cultural house has just been inaugurated. A special performance will be held on New Year’s Eve at the house for all islanders.

“We are putting the final touches to a master plan to turn Con Co into a tourist island,” said Le Quang Lanh, the district Party secretary and administration chairman. “Major infrastructural facilities such as the power and water supply and traffic systems will be built. Efficient economic models will be developed to help stabilise people’s lives.“

Before leaving the island, we extended New Year Greetings to all islanders and wished for them to stand firm to protect the country’s waters.