世界之美就在台灣 (國家公園季刊 National Park )

「是誰打開了宇宙的珠寶盒，在南海上遺落了一顆明珠，在日升日落裡，盈盈釋放光芒。」   ─摘自《東沙記憶》─

“I wonder who had opened the jewelry box of the universe, and dropped on South China Sea this bright pearl emitting its glory in every sunset and
sunrise ever since.” – excerpted from Dongsha Reminiscences.

大多數人對「東沙島」一詞的認知，除了是地理課本中所述的南海四沙之一( 編按：南海四沙為東沙、西沙、中沙、南沙)，也是座結合軍事管制與神秘色彩的熱帶島嶼。豐富多樣的自然資源、繽紛的珊瑚礁生態以及特殊的環礁地形，讓東沙島有著「南海明珠」的美稱，也因為難以親訪，讓這座落在湛藍南海中的美麗之島，更增添了份想像的空間。

國土最邊陲 保育不馬虎
從台灣到東沙島，主要的交通是靠空運，除了每月一次由屏東空軍基地起飛的空軍運輸機，每週往返高雄小港機場與東沙機場的國內民航機目前只有一個航線，往返交通全倚賴航空。當季刊採訪團隊歷經航行一個多小時，飛機逐漸自白色的雲海下降，從空中鳥瞰，位在東沙環礁西方的東沙島，外型有如螃蟹的大前螯，白色的島嶼躺在晶瑩剔透的碧藍海面，美麗得有如指環上的溫潤玉石。

飛機終於在精簡的跑道上停歇，紅白相間的旗幟在「東沙機場」立牌旁飄揚著，隨著颯颯的風聲，登島採訪的一行人彷彿感受了東沙島的呼喚，歡迎著我們的造訪。曾因戰爭與人為影響，加上漁業資源過度利用而導致資源面臨威脅的東沙島，近年來在台灣海洋保育政策的努力下，才有休養生息的機會。2008年東沙管理站成立後，駐島研究人員進行資源調查、保育、復育及環境監測等工作的執行下，逐漸展現如今所見及之秀麗景致。
島上建築物不多，且多為高雄市政府或軍方舊有建物。國家公園成立後將原有建築物妥善利用。值得一提的是，興建於1987年的東沙漁民服務站，這兒的門牌號碼竟寫著「高雄市旗津區東沙31號」。

門牌高雄市 離家千萬里

距台灣450公里之遙的東沙島，居然算高雄市?!原來，東沙島的行政管轄權已在1990年時交由高雄市政府負責，掛上了這塊屬於高雄市的門牌。所以，如果想從高雄火車站跳上計程車到這個地址，再怎樣神通廣大的司機可是一輩子也繞不到的喔！......(待續)

Dongsha Island is known to most people as one of the four islands on the South China Sea (Note: the other three are Paracel Islands, Macelesfield Bank, and Spratly Islands), as well as a military-controlled, mysterious tropical island. Rich in natural resources and coral reef landscapes,Dongsha Island is also touted as the “Bright Pearl on the South China Sea.” While the island is not open to visitors, it's also mysteriously veiled in the blue ocean.

Faraway but Well-conserved

The major form of transportation to and from Dongsha Island is by air. Apart from the Air Force freighter that departs once a month from Ping Tung Air Base, there is only one flight per week between Kaohsiung Int'l Airport and Dongsha Airport. After over an hour's flight, as the plane descended from the sky, the Quarterly staff overlooked the island shaped like a pincer of a crab, and the whitish island lies in the shiny blue ocean, resembling a jade on a ring.

As the plane landed on the simple runway of the island, the staff were greeted by the red-and-white flags at the Dongsha Airport blowing in the wind and sending a warm welcome.

The island's only a few old buildings that mostly belong to Kaohsiung City Government and the R.O.C. military have been much utilized. What's intriguing among them is an address plate written“ No.31, Qijin Dist., Dongsha Island” that is hung the Dongsha Fishermen's Service Station built in 1987.

A Kaohsiung Jurisdiction Hundreds Mile Away

How is Dongsha Island, 450 km away from Taiwan, still part of Kaohsiung City?

In fact, the island has been designated as part of the jurisdiction of Kaohsiung City Government and assigned this address plate since 1990. But it certainly doesn't mean that one can hop on a taxi at Kaohsiung Railway Station and ask the cabbie to take him to Dongsha Island!.......(to be continue)

※更多精采內容請見2010年6月號國家公園季刊※