Beatrice Wong F.3A (35)
F.3 EPA Assignment (Second Term)
Topic: Invisible Income
I live in Ap Lei Chau of the Southern District.
of South Horizons
My address is Flat B, 23/F, Block 17
Ap Lei Chau is located south-west of Hong Kong Island. It was named after the
shape of the island, which looks like the tongue of a duck. Ap means duck, Lei means
tongue, and Chau means island. Ap Lei Chau shelters Aberdeen Harbour, creating an
excellent typhoon shelter, and was a fishing village before the First Opium War.
Overview of Ap Lei Chau
Buses are currently the main form of transportation for the residents in Ap Lei Chau.
Besides, there is a regular sampan service called kai-to which is a characteristic in our
district. Kai-to is a type of small, motorized ferry operating between the Ap Lei Chau
and Aberdeen. As the only connection between Ap Lei Chau and other districts is by
the Ap Lei Chau Bridge, kai-to provides an alternative for residents if there is traffic
accident happens on the Bridge.
Interview with my Grandma
My Grandma has been living in Ap Lei Chau for forty years, so I interviewed her
about the history of Ap Lei Chau. My Grandma happened to know Mr. Kuen Yin
Man who is now the owner of the the kai-to service between Ap Lei Chau and
Aberdeen. My Grandma said ”Mr. Kuen is now seventy-six years old and I have
known him for thirty years .” “How do you describe Mr. Kuen?” I asked. “Oh, I
remember he once told me that he had a special power of predicting the weather when
he was ten years old.” Grandma replied.
“How did he do it?” I asked. “Since there was no weather forecast at that time, Mr.
Kuen could predict the weather of the day by looking at the cloud together with
checking the air pressure meter of the boat, Amazingly, the accuracy rate was quite
high. So even his father who was a fisherman believed in him.” Grandma explained.
“Why was it so important to predict the weather for fishermen?” “This was
important because if they knew a certain area had strong wind, they would avoid
going there or had to be more careful otherwise they would be very dangerous .”
Grandma answered. “What was the fare of the kai-to thirty years ago?” I asked.
“Oh, it cost only ten cents but it worthes a lot more now.” Grandma laughed.
A variety of seafood
Finally, I would stongly recommend Ap Lei Chau to tourists who want something
extraordinary. You can take a walk in the Main Street where you could buy freshly
caught seafood from the market there. Just a few minutes walking distance, you will
find the famous Hung Shing Temple which was built over a hundred years ago. It is
now a Grade I historic building.
Hung Shing Temple
Of course, taking a ride on the kai-to is a must. With around $5.0 you could have a
five-minutes journey on the Aberdeen harbour. The scenery is especially nice
during night time as the sorrounding is dark coupled with the lights from the tall
residential building around it. I think kai-to is not only a means of transportation, it
is also a cultural symbol of the Southern District.
Kai-to and me
Pier of Kai-to
It is also worth going to the famous Jumbo Seafood Restaurant which is nearby for a
dim-sum lunch or seafood dinner. There is special motor boat service at the Shum
Wan Pier which take guests to and from the Jumbo Seafood Restaurant.
Jumbo Seafood Restaurant
I am sure you will not be disappointed to spend a day trip in Ap Lei Chau during the
weekend. Don’t forget to take your camera with you!
本星期談談港島區的街渡航線。香港仔至鴨脷洲是一條極具特色的航線，由
香港仔小輪公司經營，採用機動舢舨，船貌古舊，船內卻安置八達通收費機，比
其他街渡先進。船程 5 分鐘，收費 1 元 8 角。舢舨在香港仔避風塘內慢駛，乘客
可從容觀賞兩岸景色。
航線分兩條，一條從鴨脷洲往香港仔舊碼頭，另一條則往香港仔行人隧道旁
的碼頭。避風塘內有不少滿載洋客的觀光舢舨穿梭，包船費用數以百元計；街渡
舢舨航程雖短，但風味相同，船費極廉，值得一試。香港仔和鴨脷洲海濱各有不
少圖文並茂的展示板，介紹兩地的歷史和變遷，對遊客頗有裨益。乘坐街渡當天，
筆者便見到一隊中學師生在兩岸考察，還興致勃勃地乘坐街渡橫跨兩地。街渡不
單是交通工具，更是港島南區文化的象徵。
圖：鴨脷洲大橋的建成使島上居民往返港島更加便利
1940 年左右，英軍在鴨脷洲玉桂山上修建炮台，用作鎮守香港南面海岸及南
丫島一帶。那時候鴨脷洲的英文名為 Aberdeen Island，炮台的名稱也取其英語音譯
為鴨巴甸炮台（Aberdeen Battery）。直至 1970 年代後期，鴨脷洲開始發展，政府
才改其名為 Ap Lei Chau（鴨脷洲）。
1970 年，香港電燈公司在鴨脷洲西北部建立了發電廠。1980 年，第一條鴨脷
洲大橋通車。通車前，鴨脷洲居民一直靠街渡往返香港仔。大橋的建立使島上居
民往返香港島更加方便。80 年代末開始，島上越來越多屋苑落成。如今當年名不
見經傳的小漁村已發展成為世界上人口密度最高的島嶼。
鴨脷洲的東北岸是島上最先有人居住的地區，鴨脷洲大街為島上最早的道路，早在
明朝郭棐所著《粵大記》中已有記載居民定居，大街上的洪聖廟擁有超過 100 年的歷史。
然而，鴉片戰爭以前，鴨脷洲只是個無人知曉的小漁村。
第一次鴉片戰爭，滿清政府戰敗，與英國簽署《南京條約》，於 1841 年把香港島
連同鴨脷洲一同割讓給英國。
响呢度可以坐漁民開嘅香港仔水下遊。唔知咩價錢，無諗過。你亦都可以好似坐
天星小輪咁，搭鴨脷洲大街—香港仔嘅街渡，盛惠 $1.8，小童 $1，幾平，仲有
特色過天星小輪，睇住位水上人渣船幾熟手。
响呢度可以坐漁民開嘅香港仔水下遊。唔知咩價錢，無諗過。你亦都可以好似坐
天星小輪咁，搭鴨脷洲大街—香港仔嘅街渡，盛惠 $1.8，小童 $1，幾平，仲有
特色過天星小輪，睇住位水上人渣船幾熟手。
香港仔—鴨脷洲街渡。
過到去鴨脷洲，當然唔少得影海景啦。
鴨脷洲海濱。
■姜彥文已屆 76 歲，目前經營來往鴨脷洲與香港仔的街渡航線。