Hok Tsui 鶴咀

"There is something magical about this place that makes me feel like it's hiding something every time. It makes me want to come back again even to the point of not wanting to leave.”

「這個地方有種魔力，每一次都讓我感覺它在隱藏什麼，令我三翻四次地再次到訪，甚至到最後不捨得離開。」

The place I would like to introduce today is Hok Tsui or Cape D'Aguilar. It is a peninsula to the south of Shek O in Hong Kong. A coastal reserve inhabited by valuable organisms. Water and coastal recreational activities, such as swimming, boating, fishing or gathering wildlife are not allowed in the area except for permitted scientific research. Some sections are private areas and belong to The Swire Institute of Marine Science of the University of Hong Kong and a radio transmitting station. The public is not allowed to enter the area. What’s so special about this place? Why take all the trouble to come here?

今天要介紹的地方是鶴咀。它是香港石澳以南的一個半島，亦是一個海岸保護區，意指當地有珍貴的生物棲息，除了獲准進行的科研活動外，一般水上及沿岸康樂活動，例如游泳、船艇活動、釣魚或採集野生動植物或其部分等，都不得在內進行，而部份路段屬香港大學太古海洋研究所及電台發射站範圍等私人地方，一般公眾人士不可隨意進入。設下種種關卡，到底這裡有什麼特別呢？需要千辛萬苦才到嗎？

To get to Hok Tsui, just take bus no. 9 at Shau Kei Wan and get off at the roundabout at Hok Tsui. It is a Grade 1 hiking trail on a concrete road, with a view of Tai Tam Bay from the trees on the right and views of the Stanley Peninsula, Stanley Prison, the Peak and the satellite station on the other side. It takes 5 hours to complete the 8.5km route not including filming and is physically demanding.

前往鶴咀只需在筲箕灣，乘座9號巴士前往鶴咀的回旋處位下車，全程都是石屎路，屬1級行山路線，間中可以從右邊的樹叢窺見大潭灣景色，還可遠眺對岸的赤柱半島，例如赤柱監獄、斜炮頂及衛星通訊站。全程8.5公里，不計拍攝都要5小時，對體力有一定要求。

On my first visit to Hok Tsui, I went straight to see the wave eroded Lui Yin Cave, as most people usually do. The cave, which rumbles loudly from time to time, is exhilarating and is lined with stone towers stacked on top of each other. Some say this place is for making a blessing or a wish, others say it is a remembrance of the dead. If it is the former, I wish for the marine garbage in front of me to disappear! Apart from Lui Yin Cave, there are many other natural wonders in Hok Tsui including the 'Crab Cave'. When viewed from the top, you see the shape of a giant crab claw. I remember the first time I stood on an exposed rock to watch the sunset with a 360-degree view of the coast. I thought I was far away at the end of the earth. The solid, regular rocks beneath your feet were formed after a volcanic eruption 100 million years ago during the Jurassic period. Each one is different, from volcanic rock, granite, pink rhyolite and black basalt, with rocks symbolising different eras. Geology enthusiasts often say that rocks are a history book, sometimes counting the layers of rocks to see how many times a volcano has erupted.

第一次到訪鶴咀，我和一般人一樣，首先直奔至鶴咀看被海浪侵蝕的雷音洞。這個洞時而發出隆隆巨響，很震憾，旁邊放滿了一個個石頭疊起的石塔，有人指是祝福及許願，有人說是記念死去的人，如果是前者，我希望可以讓面前的海洋垃圾消失。除了雷音洞，鶴咀還有很多自然奇觀，包括從洞頂下望呈巨形蟹鉗狀的「蟹洞」。我記得自己第一次已站在外露的岩石山上賞日落，360度的海岸視野，以為自己遠在天涯海角。萬沒想到腳下堅固又規則的岩石，原來在1億6400萬年前竟是火山區，岩石都是侏羅紀時期，火山爆發形成的，每一個都不同，有火山凝灰岩、花崗閃長岩、粉紅色的流紋岩和黑色的玄武岩，不同的岩石象徵不同時間發生的事，所以地質愛好者常說，石頭是一本歷史書，有時數著岩石的層理，可以知道火山爆發了多少次。

The first time I went to Hok Tsui I only saw the natural wonders. I forgot about the people and the ravages of war. I came back less than two months later, but this time with camping gear because I decided to stay overnight. With a full 24 hours ahead, I hope to capture all the sights.

第一次到鶴咀只賞了自然奇觀，卻忘了人的溫度，戰爭的洗禮。所以不夠兩個月我又來了，但今次是重裝，因為我決定要在這裡留一晚，我就不信留足24小時還會錯過那一面。

Walk along the concrete road until you reach Nga Choy Hang Village post box, there is an entrance on the right and you will see a fort. In the late 1930s, the British Army decided to strengthen the defences of Hong Kong Island in response to the threat of invasion and built three temporary forts on the southern shore of Hong Kong Island, one of which is Hok Tsui Fort. This coastal battery was completed in 1939 and included a 4-inch coastal defence gun, a command tower, searchlights, ammunition magazines, lookouts and a fort, as well as the Bokhara Fort at the top. Although it is now in ruins, the two-storey structure is still intact. I couldn't help but gasp as I stepped over the piles of stones and climbed up to the observation deck. It's hard to imagine the war and the pandemonium with the blue sea in view. But In 1941, the Japanese invaded Hong Kong in the Pacific War attacking by land from north to south. Coastal forts did not do much then.

侵威脅，決定加強香港島的防衛，因此在香港島南岸建三座臨時炮台，其中一座就是包括鶴咀炮台。這個沿岸的炮台於1939年完工，除了4吋海防炮，還有指揮塔、探射燈、彈藥庫、瞭望台及堡壘等設施，更在高處設博加拉炮台。雖然現在已是頹垣敗瓦，但仍保留兩層高設計，步步驚心的踩著人們堆砌的石頭爬上瞭望台，我不禁嘩了出聲，蔚藍的大海視野，很難想像戰火紛飛，污煙瘴氣的模樣...就在1941年，日本發動太平洋戰爭入侵香港，日軍採取由北向南的陸上攻勢，海岸炮台沒多大作用。

On the night of 8 December, the Japanese were advancing towards the western part of Hong Kong. The following day, the British commander decided to close the defences and concentrate on Stanley Peninsula. Upon receiving the order to retreat, the garrison at Hok Tsui Fort destroyed the facilities to prevent it from being used by the Japanese. After the liberation of Hong Kong in 1945, the fort was abandoned until 2009 when it was classified as a Grade II listed building. Is it a pity to think that Hok Tsui Fort was abandoned? A building can be blown up without a second thought because of a strategic decision, but a war that kills lives is an unforgivable outcome.

在12月8日晚上，日軍向香港西部步步步進迫，翌日英指揮決定收縮防線，集中兵力於赤柱半島一帶，駐守鶴咀炮台的守軍接到撤退指令後隨即破壞炮台設施，避免炮台被日軍利用。在1945年香港重光，鶴咀炮台就被荒廢了，直至2009年被列為二級歷史建築。認為鶴咀炮台是未戰先死的棄卒很可惜？一個建築可以因為戰略決定，不假思索地炸掉，但一場戰爭殺死的生命，決不是可理解的結果。

After seeing the fort, having tasted the last bowl of tofu pudding and seen the century-old watchtower, it's time to head to Crab Cave to take pictures of the sunset. Note that the sun rises and falls at different times of the year. Only in winter is the sunset in front of you, and as the name suggests, Hok Tsui has a long enough beak to let the salted egg yolk sun land on the horizon and then disappear. The long night begins.  But since tents are forbidden in Hok Tsui, I had to spend the night on the concrete floor, cuddled up in a sleeping bag. My dad used to say I've gotten bolder since I became a YouTuber, but I'm just not too concerned about the consequences. If I’d expected to see wild dogs wandering around at midnight, sleeping with insects and a cold wind, I wouldn't have the nerve to come. The online starry sky photo I expected to see was shattered by the full moon at sunset. It didn't matter, there's still sunrise, that's what I told myself. I’ll try to stay awake until after 4am.

看完炮台回到士多，嘗完最後一碗豆腐花，看過有過百年歷史的更樓，就要準備到蟹洞附近拍攝日落。大家要留意，不同季節太陽升降的位置都有差，只有冬天夕陽才正在前方，加上鶴咀地如其名，嘴巴夠長，剛好看到咸蛋黃在海平線降落，然後消散...漫長的夜晚開始了，因為鶴咀嚴禁塔帳篷，所以我只可在一塊石屎級，抱著睡袋過一晚。老爸常說我做YouTuber後膽子大了，其實我只是不太顧後果，如果我一早預到午夜有野狗遊走，與蛟蟲共眠，還冷風陣陣，那給我一百個膽我都不會去。在網上預期看到的星空照片，因為正夕滿月而夢碎了，但沒關系還有日出，我就是這樣跟自己說，昏昏沈沈地捱到凌晨四點多....

I went back to the concrete road in the dark, and on the left side of the diversion road to the lighthouse, there is a staircase up to the power station, and when you go up there, you will come to the Bokhara Fort on the left side where can see the white lighthouse in the distance. If the sun rises slowly, it is as beautiful as those you see in Europe. At that time, I waited optimistically. But there were only white clouds. Just as I was wandering around in dismay, a salted egg yolk sun peeked through the clouds and lasted only a minute or so, but I was satisfied. Life is like this. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. Let it go. Then, even if you only get a little, it will become a gain. In fact, it's all about attitude. Learning to be grateful is the best way to love yourself.

摸黑回到石屎路，在前往燈塔的分差路，左手邊有一條樓梯上發電站，上去後靠左邊走就會到博加拉炮台，因為可以遠眺白色燈塔，如果配上太陽緩緩升起，肯定比起歐洲各國的還美！當時，我還滿懷樂觀地等待著...怎料白雲密布一場空。正當我失敗透頂，四處閒逛的時候，一顆咸蛋黃在雲層中探頭，雖然只持續了一分鐘左右，但我都心滿意足了。人生就是這樣，愈大期望愈大失望，沒希望了隨緣吧，那怕只得到一點點，就會變成額外收獲，其實都是心態決定高度，學會感恩是對自己最大的寬容。

On my first visit to Hok Tsui, I was unable to see the lighthouse as it was under renovation. The English name of the lighthouse is "Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse", in honour of Major General D'Aguilar, the first Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong and Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, after the Wag Lan Lighthouse opened in 1893, the Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse ceased operation in 1896, and the light did not come on again until 1975, when the lighthouse was operated automatically. The lighthouse is a 9.7-metre-high cylindrical building made from granite. The base and arched entrance are made of roughly cut stone blocks, and the iron gate above the entrance is decorated with geometric patterns. Now a declared monument, it is a pity that it is not possible to enter the building to see it, but you can still take pictures outside.

第一次到鶴咀，當時燈塔正在翻新無緣看到，第二次終於看到了。鶴咀燈塔的英文名是「德己立角燈塔」，以紀念香港第一任副總督和駐港英軍總司令的德己立少將。但可惜在1893年橫瀾燈塔啟用，鶴咀燈塔就在1896年停運，直到1975年燈塔改為自動化操作，燈光才再次亮起。鶴咀燈塔是一座由花崗石築砌的圓筒形建築，高9.7米，燈塔底座和拱形入口均由粗琢石塊砌成，入口的鐵門上方飾有幾何圖案，現在法定古蹟，可惜不能入內一觀，但在外拍網美照都很夠。

Remember what I said about the magic of Hok Tsui? I went back twice a while ago because of the sunrise and starry sky, and I finally managed to capture it. The sun was greeted by the morning mist revealing its red face, and the sea was coloured yellow by the golden light. The sunrise helped to recharge my energy. Even though I don't know what would happen in the future, I was at least hopeful at that moment, thanks to the light. I don't know if it's greed, but I still wanted to photograph its shooting stars and burning sky. Here, I laughed out loud. In this high-rise city of Hong Kong, here is a place where I can see the sunrise, sunset and starry sky. Is it because I am trying to escape from reality to give me an excuse to explore this beautiful area again?

記得我說鶴咀有魔力嗎？因為日出星空，我前陣子又去了兩次，黃天不負有心人，終於讓我拍到了。太陽在朝霞的迎接中，露出红彤彤的面，萬道金光染黃了大海。日出可以幫我充電，縱然不知往後會發生什麼，但靠著那剎那的光茫，起碼我那刻是充滿希望的。不知是的貪心，還是鶴咀有毒，我還想拍下它的流星、燒天...寫到這裡不奇然地笑了出來，在香港這個高樓密集的城市裡，有一個地方，可以看到日出、夕陽、星空，我應該是想逃離現實，才想起反覆探索的藉口嗎？