High Island 糧船灣洲

Overcast w/sunny patches
Starting at the estuary of Lung Hang [龍坑], my mind was filled with the first fascinating scene - clear water running over pebble-laden bed, reflecting a variety of green leaves. A jetty was just outside the museum, with the Po Leung Kuk campsite on the other side of the bank. After a pause at the jetty at Hei Tsz Wan [起子灣], we retraced a few metres to take the indistinct path uphill into densely vegetated areas. Crossing a dried up stream, we came across a junction from which we took the left branch to join the country trail. The Po Ku Wan [曝罟灣] Campsite came into sight within minutes. The country trail was open and good for running. Just before Chong Hing Water Sports Centre came into view, we passed by another junction branching off to Nam Fung Wan [南風灣] Campsite. Some steps leading downslope to join the west dam, where runners and crowds of day-tour visitors were found. Going down the road south of the pond, we took the indistinct path on the left. Besides being narrow and having dried up streams, the path was covered with loose and slippery stones. It became much easier than before when we're on the other side of Shum Tuk Wan [深篤灣]. Facing the south tip of Urn Island [ 大頭洲], a finger-like boulder [企人石] stood out remarkably from the rocky shore. One of the streams above Tam Shui Wan [淡水灣 Fresh Water Bay] had a small pool below a falls, I believed this was one of those 2 streams we saw when kayaking in rainy days.
Coming out of the forest behind Tai She Wan [Big Snake Bay/大蛇灣], a ruined mansion with funitures and many other daily utensils stood before us. Paints on the walls didn't give us a feeling that its inhabitants had departed long ago. If not for the broken windows and wide opened doors, one might still think that it's occupied. A make-shift BBQ stove was left behind the benches bewteen a jetty and tall palm trees. In case you visited the place at night and saw the photo album lying opened on the tree pot, you'd probably think that the house was haunted. Pak A [北丫] was noisy with holiday-makers enjoying their seafood feasts. Newly-paved paths led us round Leung Shuen Wan, passing the primary school [still in use] and Tin Hau Temple. We left Tung A [東 丫] by an uphill path through a burnt land. Pak Lap Beach [白腊灣] was somewhat like Tai Wan [大灣], with a row of tall trees behind the beach, sheltering the village from the damage of sand and wind. Taking the path behind the village, we joined Maclehose Trail #1 for a short while before ascending Fa Shan [Flower Hill/花山] for a panoramic view from its peak. Since most of the day was cloudy, we're not that interested to go down to the promotnory off Po Pin Chau [stack/破邊洲]. Hence, we descended an indistinct dried up stream. Retracing Maclehose Trail #1 to Tsak Yue Wu for the bus back home.