Mt. Chilbo (3)

Sea Chilbo

Sea Chilbo can be said to have both feminine and masculine beauties as it sometimes looks beautiful and graceful, sometimes formidable and dauntless.

The area of Sea Chilbo boasts picturesque coastal scenery: cliffs and rocks of fantastic shapes on the coastline and singular islets rising from the surface of the sea go well with the waving sea.

The most scenic spot in the area is Sol (pine) Islet. About 80 metres off shore, the islet is named so as its top is scattered with clusters of dwarf pine trees.

The scenery of the islet, whose cliffs, rocks and pine groves blend in with the vast expanse of the sea, makes it widely known as a scenic spot.

Originally the islet adjoined the land. Later, it is said, the spot was separated from the land as the middle part was washed away with the passage of time.

The north, east and west sides of the islet have dangerous rock walls, and in the breast of the islet there is a deep cave. Created by seawater washes, the cave’s bottom is connected with the sea. In the cave you can hear subtle sounds when the waves ripple. But when violent waves sweep into the cave you can hear very loud sounds like thunderclaps.

The islet is designated as natural monument for its beautiful and fantastic scenery.

The area of Sea Chilbo also has a spot called Talmun, or moon gate, as it is shaped like the moon. As a rock cave situated at the southeast end of the mountain, the spot is backed by a high cliff and fronts a scores-of-metres-deep water area.

Legend has it that the moon, which had risen from the East Sea of Korea, stayed all night over a rock in the spot, fascinated by its nocturnal scene and that in the daytime the moon took a rest in the spot, seeing its scenery.

Looking at Talmun that stands like the gateway to Sea Chilbo, the beholders appreciate nature's sculpture.

Among scenic spots of Sea Chilbo is Mujigae (rainbow) Rock. The rock has long been known as widely as Sol Islet and Talmun. One end of the rock is fixed on a hillside, and the other end on the bottom of the sea. In the shape of a crescent, the rock seems to hang on clouds when waves sweep through its opening, tossing up silvery sprays. The rock is about 8 metres in height, and the opening is 4.5 metres in height and 3 to 4 metres in top width.

Sea Chilbo also has lots of other scenic spots including Khokkiri (elephant) Rock that looks like an elephant with its trunk immersed in the seawater, rocks of fantastic shapes such as Choksok Rock that resembles a group of scores of thousands of candle lights, Unson Cave in which a legend says fairies would hide themselves when sensing people approaching while seeing the scenery of the area, an angling site where it is said one can catch a fish as big as forearm as soon as one drops the line, and Jikdong Falls named so in the meaning that the falls faces exactly east.

The area is also famous for lots of stories of origins and legends associated with it. Among the stories is the one of the origin of myongthae, a sort of pollack. The story is as follows.

Once upon a time a fisherman, surnamed Thae, lived in Myongchon, Korea. One day the fisherman caught in the sea off the locality a fish he had never seen before. Then he named the fish myongthae after the first syllable myong of the locality's name and his surname Thae.

And the legends are all interesting including those of Put (brush) Rock, Yonjok (ink-water bottle) Rock, Mok (ink) Rock and Pyoru (inkstone) Rock.

The sea off Sea Chilbo is so rich in fish as to be recognized as a good fishing ground. And miyok (a kind of seaweed) and kelp from the seashore are widely known as specialties of Korea.

Scenic Spots of Sea Chilbo