Gin Drinkers Bay – ship breaking early 1960s

HF: Gin Drinkers Bay ( 醉酒灣, Drunkard’s Bay) is also known as Lap Sap Wan (垃圾灣, Rubbish Bay). Explanations of why these two pejorative Cantonese  terms are used would be welcomed.

This photo comes from the Journal of the Geographical, Geological & Archaelogical Society March, 1961. This area of Hong Kong has changed almost beyond recognition since then.  The bay was reclaimed later in the 1960s and became Kwai Fong and part of Kwai Hing. At the mouth of the bay stood the island of Tsing Chau which became a land extension of Kwai Chung. So today when you look at the container terminal opposite Tsing Yi you are looking at what was Gin Drinkers Bay.

Gin Drinkers Bay - image from IDJ

This map from the same article  shows the location of the bay.

Journal article p25

Related Indhhk articles:

  1. Ship breaking in Hong Kong – post WW2
  2. Ship breaking companies – 1966
  3. The Port of Hong Kong – Marine Dept 1966 – ship building, ship breaking
  4. Ship breaking in Hong Kong – Junk Bay 將軍澳 – late 1970s

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