Sokos, So Far

Closing my gate, I looked up and saw that the day was going to be clear. There was a slight breeze running but nothing to be alarmed at. I was to kayak out to the Sokos Islands later this morning, a full 17 km from my starting point in Cheung Chau, and I was anxious for the weather to hold.

For the uninitiated, the Sokos are a cluster of islands just south of Lantau. Rare Hong Kong animals, such as the Chinese White Dolphin and the Finless Porpoise inhabit the surrounding waters. The area was endorsed as a marine park by the Hong Kong government in 2002, but never gazetted, which meant that there is nothing currently standing in the way of China Light and Power’s (CLP) plans to build a Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) terminal on the southern island. WWF Hong Kong and other environmental bodies have strongly opposed the plans, arguing that there are alternative solutions to supply Hong Kong with adequate power without irreversibly damaging one of Hong Kong’s richest natural areas.

I made my way to my friend Gary’s apartment. Gary, along with his younger brother Terry, were to be my partners on our kayak trip to the Sokos. Both fitness fanatics, I wondered how I would keep up with them, but pushing such unpleasant thoughts out of my mind, we set off toward the town center.

Once in town, we made our way through the market to Kwun Yam Wan, the smaller of the two popular beaches, stopping along the way to pick up some last minute essentials. Terry bought a pack of mosquito coils and Gary picked up enough water for two days. Me? I bought a liter of whiskey.

We reached the beach and saw that the water was choppy. When kayaking, strong winds and large waves can turn what would be a pleasant afternoon paddle into an arduous and dangerous struggle. At the beach bar, boat rental guy Uncle Lui looked worried and apprehensive. The other three regulars also looked at us disapprovingly. “It’s too windy today,” said Uncle Lui. Glancing at our packs he added, “And you’re carrying too much - it’s going to be dangerous.” Uncle Lui agreed to let us out as long as we turned back if it got too difficult. Uncle Lui knows the dangers of the sea. A few years ago, his two sons went windsurfing during a signal 10 typhoon. Only one returned.

We were already behind schedule so we got straight to selecting three kayaks and tying our gear down. The journey was set to be an exciting physical challenge. But primarily, I wanted to see what the islands looked like now and how they would likely change after CLP completes its power station.