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A man enjoys the sun but not the beach at Shek O. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong beaches remain closed – but why? Community warns of inexperienced swimmers heading outside safety nets

  • Hong Kong’s beaches have been closed since July and the swimming community says it has pushed them into dangerous areas
  • Swimming outside safety nets, and cat-and-mouse games with security guards have created a new reality
When the government announced it was making moves to open up a travel bubble with Singapore, Ocean Recovery Alliance founder Doug Woodring was left scratching his head as to why Hongkongers were able to enter another country quarantine-free, but were still not allowed to step foot on their own beaches.

“If you’re going to allow flying to Singapore, why aren’t you allowing this?” said Woodring, who also organises a number of open water swimming races in Hong Kong. “Right now, there’s hundreds of people in Central standing right next to each other on every street corner every day, and when people go to the beach, they like to stay separate naturally.”

Beaches run by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department have been sanctioned off from the public since July 15, as part of the city’s efforts to contain the third coronavirus wave. These dozen or so beaches run by the department were not cordoned off during the first two waves, but tape and barriers have been used to stop people from accessing the beach and water for the past three months.

As Hong Kong heads into November and temperatures drop, its outdoor swimming community said the only thing the government is achieving now is putting people in danger.

Olivier Courret, who runs the Open Water Swimmers of Hong Kong group, which had more than 2,000 regular members before the pandemic hit, said the government needs to realise they are not going to stop people from swimming just by closing access to the beaches.
Shek O beach is temporarily closed due to coronavirus restrictions. Photo: Dickson Lee

Because swimmers are not able to swim within the safety nets of patrolled beaches now, or risk being slapped with a fine, most are heading into the open ocean.

“The main issue is people swimming outside the safety nets because they don’t have a choice any more,” he said. “And some of them don’t have open water common sense, or skills, and I could see them putting themselves in dangerous situations.”

Courret said kayakers, boaters, windsurfers and swimmers are all competing for space outside the safety nets, without any lifeguard supervision, in areas some are not used to swimming in. “When you get out into some of these spots now, it’s like crossing the highway during busy traffic.”

Hong Kong swimming pools can be open, but not the beaches?

A spokesman from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department told the Post via email that the beaches remained closed because “the epidemic situation in Hong Kong has not yet been fully stabilised.”

“Silent transmission chains still exist in the community. Due to the open environment of the bathing beaches, it is difficult to enforce the epidemic prevention and social distancing measures as implemented in sports venues and swimming pools, such as restricting the number of users, conducting body temperature screening and spacing out users.”

Hong Kong’s beaches being closed has pushed swimmers into dangerous areas. Photo: SCMP

The spokesman said opening the beaches now would likely attract large crowds and there would also be an issue with overloaded changing rooms and toilet facilities.

During the second wave of the coronavirus, as the weather started to warm up, packed beaches were a common sight despite restrictions being in place, such as people having to be in groups of no more than four.

“Added to these is that beachgoers tend not to wear masks while sunbathing and after having a swim. To minimise the risk of the epidemic’s spread, it is prudent not to open the beaches at this stage,” the department statement continued.

Woodring said he is not totally sold on the government’s reasoning, given many areas around Hong Kong are now crowded with people on a daily basis.

“It just doesn’t make sense and when the government does something that doesn’t make sense it frustrates people and they lose trust in them.”

Hong Kong swimming community decries ongoing restrictions on pools and beaches

Despite the restrictions, Courret said there’s been a cat-and-mouse game being played between diehard swimmers who refuse to stop their form of exercise. He said some early morning swimmers are sneaking into the enclosed areas before security guards arrive, and have found sometimes the guards simply turn a blind eye.

Edie Hu, an open water marathon swimmer, said she has seen this, too.

“I do see people swimming inside the nets at Repulse Bay and Deep Water Bay before 8am, so closing the beach has not stopped people from swimming. We carry five and 10-litre water canisters so we can shower afterwards.”

Rocky Bay Beach in Shek O is closed amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hu said for many like her swimming is part of their daily life and they have been doing it almost every day for years, even decades. This has forced them to adapt, rather than simply stop exercising, which has created new dangers.

“Less experienced swimmers are taking a lot more risks by swimming outside the net with no lifeguards around. There are a lot more boats zooming around in the bays now that everyone is not travelling and looking for ways to escape the crowds.

“My group had a close call with a friend narrowly missing getting hit by a junk boat. Luckily, she has quick reflexes and managed to get out of the way.”

Courret said he thinks it may be a funding issue when it comes to lifeguards, as the pandemic has ravaged Hong Kong’s economy and forced the government to tighten its belt, forcing others to change careers.

“I think the problem that they are having right now is a lack of lifeguards,” he said. “I think most of these guys are part-time or they are seasonal. So I think a lot of them had to make a choice and take some other job, and I’m sure the issue now is a lack of resources to make the area within the safety net safe.”

A Leisure and Cultural Services Department security guard prevents unauthorised entry to Shek O beach. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong pools have been closed on and off throughout the year, reopening at half capacity in the middle of September. However, groups were capped at four people and they are required to stay 1.5 metres apart.

There is also a massive health and wellness angle to opening the beaches as well, said Woodring, as people try to navigate a global pandemic which has severely restricted forms of exercise.

Woodring said he wonders if the lobbying effect which has seemed to work for some sectors, such as food and beverage and nightclubs, may be falling on deaf ears when it comes to the beaches and the swimming community.

“It’s almost like if there is not direct money involved it’s not their concern.”

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: open-water risk with beach ban
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