Holiday of split waters in Southern Korea
A great determination is required only to take a leap into the sea hoping that water is far away from here and the pass is about to be successful. Thousands of Koreans will make this courageous action annually taking the road over the narrow sand cay which connects South-West islands Jindo and Modo Island.
The legend states that once citizens of the village at the island Jindo who had suffered because of permanent attacks of tigers went swimming to the nearest island Modo. In the village there was only an old woman forgotten by everybody. She began praying to the sea deity to help her to reunite with her native people and mates. In regard to her prayers the sea split.
Fortunately, accesses and recesses of the sea do not depend on the gods’ will no more, and their coming is quite predictable. Outside Korea people had known almost nothing about this overwhelming phenomenon until Pier Randy, French ambassador who visited the island Jindo did write a rave review in French mass media. A rare phenomenon caused a lively interest in the world and afterwards the whole festival has appeared at the place discussed.
The sea ‘splits’ only for one hour, so, one needs to get timing right not to wade the rest of way. If you were not able to go a half of distance for fifteen minutes, it is better to turn back. For those who prefer being only spectator there are hills near there from which one may easily see everything that happens.
‘Way across the sea’ is the sand line with the length of three kilometers and width of nearly forty meters. At the specific time, usually in the evening, local citizens and tourists take a leap to a strip which cropped out and right before one’s eyes take a form of curved line that stretches off into the distance. A ‘chain’ moves very fast, sometimes only local citizens stop to collect the seafood such as wracks and shellfishes. Nearly one million people attend the festival annually.
The festival will have lasted till May, and if the nature is to be benevolent, the time will have lasted till June.
