Large cargo junk

Mon, 09/21/2015 - 17:47

We were on the ferry approaching Peng Chau on our way to the Silvermine pier on Lantau.  The ferry called in at Peng Chau and this large cargo junk was also heading there.  I think that the North Eastern end of Lantau is in the background, with Discovery Bay in the centre of the image. Can anyone identify the buildings on the right of the photograph? I suspect that's where Disneyland was eventually built.

Date picture taken
31 Jul 1981
Author(s)
Shows place(s)

Comments

I think you're right that the building's on the right are Penny's Bay which is the Disneyland site. I have lived in Discovery Bay for 25 years and remember there used to be chimneys in Penny's Bay. I think Discovery Bay is on the far left of the photo background and not in the centre, because the highest hilltop in the area is Tiger's Head (Lo Fu Tau) which is out of view on the left. 

Hi There,

I believe this was one of the Kai Do's runnign between Peng Chau, Nim Shu Wan & the Trappist Monastary.  It serve for both passenger and cargo,

The Kai Do route still exist running the same route but runs on deisel passenger boats these days.  Last time (2019) it coast me six dollars from Peng Chau to Disco Bay.

T

Subsequent cmments by Jenny and myself have disappeared but here is the gist of what I wrote.

This large junk was indeed powered solely by a diesel engine - no signs of there having been any masts.  The ferry that we were on was approaching Peng Chau, a stopping place on the way to Lantau.  I have a feeling that we did not dock at Peng Chau but that passengers transferred via small launch.  Were these the largest junks operating around Hong Kong in the 1980s?  Here is another very similar junk that I saw a day later in the Aberdeen harbour.  Even though they lacked the graceful lines of the fishing junks, there was something quite majestic about them.

Cargo junk
Cargo junk, by Andrew Suddaby

 

 

Hi Andrew,

I have seen similar junks in Cheung.  Despite public ferries could handle some cargo loads (I have seen double beds, pellets full of stuffs, or even coffins), but if you really need to move a truck load of goods to an out lying island (save Lantau), you really need one of these bigger cargo boats.

These days, if one decide to move to Cheung Chau, Peng Chau or Lamma Island, the moving company may engage one of these cargo boats instead of going through public ferries as the current operators may not provide cargo places on every ferry like the old days.   Many  routes runs of speedier boats lack of cargo space.  These cargo boats are more flexible.

T