Steamliners to Macao

I was just reminiscing the numerous trips that I took with my parents to Macao when I was a toddler.  The afternoon tea underneth the shady trees on the water front.....in Chinese we called the place "Nam Wai".  The tricycle rides.  The cobblestone streets.  The smell from the area where they sold sun dried seafood.  The crabs.  The almond cookies, etc.  Like HK, Macao was a much quieter and easier going place back then.

I am kinda surprised that not much about the ferry-steamliners on the internet.  Afterall, they were part of an important history of the two cities -Macao and HK.

Do you have any idea when the steamliners' service was discontinued?  Was each steamliner being phased out one by one or were they being phased out all together at once?

Unfortunately my computer is NOT Chinese compatible, so I cannot get most of the Chinese names.  "Nam Shan" must be translated to South Hill.  I have never heard or seen that ship.  It must have come in service after I left HK in the late 1960s.  Was "Nam Shan" the last steamliner joined the fleet?

Thanks for your posting about "Macau" which I had the opportunity to ride on once or twice.  It was the luxuious steamliner of the era - Tak Sing, Tai Loy and Fat Shan were getting pretty old then.  My parents were especially impressed by its "airplane like seatings" which provided great comfort and sleep when they were reclined. 

I believe the trip between HK and Macau took approximately 4 hrs.  If it was an overnight run, the policy was to allow passengers to sleep till 7 a.m. before embarkation even tho the ship had been docked since 4 a.m.   This would enable gamblers from HK to get some ZZZZ after playing all night at the casino(s). 

Sure will give it a trial.  It is really a hindrence for not having my computer Chinese compatible.  My roommate is the computer expert and will ask him to do it for me when he returns home.

Thanks for your pointer.

i commuted on a regular basis between hong kong and macau 77-79 so travelled on all the various vessel types which plied the route.

one particular trip stands out in my mind on the 7-7-77 (and yes, we listened to queen's seven seas of rye that afternoon) going to macau on the 'midnight ferry' mv lo shan.

first we went to the 'poor man's nightclub' situ in front of the immigration shacks in what was the sheung wan bus terminus during the day.  fun and games as you could eat, drink, shop and be entertained  - canto pop, chinese opera, fortune telling, snacks, snake drinks - all the usual suspects.  the market started to fold up just before midnight and then you waited patiently in line to proceed through immigration.  once on the ferry the place was alive with people playing cards (with money on show), swearing big time, dabbling on the slot machines, slurping yet more noodles all in anticipation of 'paradise' just over the river.  it was a lonnnng sleepless night and we were off the ferry by about 6 am which docked at the inner harbour. 

cost of the ticket? hkd$18 including tax for the privilege.

i have a friend who was a radio operator on the route in the 60s/70s who makes even more dramatic claims -like showgirls and striptease on board- but i didn't see evidence of any of that ;)

try my blog about old macau : http://macauantigo.blogspot.com/

I know Tak Sing, Tai Loy and Fat Shan all had staterooms on the upper decks and then on the bottom deck (at the hull), there were canvas lounge chairs all lined up and we called that deck, "Dai Chun".  My parents and I rode in "Dai Chun" once or twice when the staterooms were all sold out.  "Dai Chun"was actually quite fun to be in because vendors were allowed to sell various hot food/snack and perform entertainments.  I believe the fare was $3 HK or might be $5....it was very cheap.  "Dai Chun" was meant for the lower income class ppl so nothing was elegant there. 

The "Poormen's Market" was another place to remember; does it still exist?  Rumor was that dog meat was served there.  It was basically a giant flea market at night and it was really fun to be in. 

Sigh!  Those were the good ole days.  I really wish we could turn the clock back to the 1960 and 1970s.  All these so called progress, development and new skyscrapers are killing my city that I love so much.  

Joao:

Your blog seems to be very interesting and I am like to read it. Unfortunately, it is in Portguese (I believe).  Do you have an English version?

these are a couple posted on facebook:

the ferry 'macau' waiting on the sheung wan wharf

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=1107422&op=39&o=global&view=gl…

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'tak shing' , featured in a guidebook pub 1962

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=2303884&op=17&o=global&view=gl…

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macau ferry terminus in hong kong, postcard late 60s/early 70s

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=4848515&op=8&o=global&view=glo…

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'lee hong' - image kindly provided by michael rogge to joão botas

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=675746&op=10&o=global&view=glo…

Thanks for the English version.  Indeed, it is an interesting, educational and historical article to read.  Thanks again for providing that to us.

there is a fantastic scale model 1:48 of the tai loy in the maritime museum in stanley crafted by yn lau.  the original was built in 1951 at the shipyard of wing on shing

When I visit HK again, I'll sure go see that model in Stanley.  Lai Loy was the smallest and less known of the 3 ships I believe.  So it was built in 1951 locally, as you said.  I wonder if it was scraped after decommissioned.

What is "KinShan" in Chinese characters?  Or at least, What is "KinShan" translated to in Chinese?

Great!  Thanks for your reply.

The history of Tai Loy is as follow:

It was built in Wing On Shing Shipyard. The keel laying ceremony was done on 16th September 1948. After one year it was launched on 20th October 1949.

Jennifer Sprague, daughter of the Mr. Sprague of the Marine Department, performed the traditional ceremony by breaking a bottle of champagne at the bow. At the same time, alice Fu, daughter of Mr. Fu Wai-Sum, the owner, simultaneously knocked off the release to launch the mw, Tai Loy.

It was the largest designed and built ship in the coloney's Chinese shipyard since the war.

Tai Loy was registered in 1950 as "Tai Loy" and the Registered Owner is Tak Kee Sg & Tdg Co. Ltd. and the port of berth is Hong Kong.

1968 it was re-registered with a new name "Chung Shan" and the Registered Owner is Tai Tak Hing Sg Co. Ltd. and the port of berth is Hong Kong.

1978 it was re-registered as "Hong Xing 801" and the Registered Owner is "Chinese Govt (Pearl River Sg Co.)" and the port of berth is Guangzhou.

After that I have no more record of Tai Loy.

Recently I found a photo album left by my father a full documentry of the ship when it was built till it was launched with newspaper cuttings.

If you come to the HKMM in Stanley, on the ground floor of Murray House, you will find a splendid model of the Tai Loy made for the builders, Wing On Shing Co of Cheung Sha Wan, around the time of the ship's launch. With the model we have a fairly comprehensive pamphlet about the ship and its history which is free to museum visitors.

My dad work on M.V. Tai Loy and M.V. Tai Shan back then, thanks so much for yours and everyone's  post, I've been reading it over and over again. So many childhood memories.

Here is few URL I collect:

Remember 佛山輪, so sad.

http://www.kkfriend.com/d5/viewthread.php?tid=24883

泰山輪M.V.Tai Shan 唐餐樓

http://www.barcaferry.com/ticket/ticket_turbojet/old/shuntak_1983.jpg

南山輪M.V.Nam Shan 唐餐樓

http://www.barcaferry.com/ticket/ticket_turbojet/old/shuntak_1986.jpg

Mr. Chris Chan, is Peter again. By any chance you have some of the picture of this ship scanned and posted anywhere? I would love to see them. Thanks.