Team on the Sea: Tom Allen – Postcard-worthy Sunsets on Idyllic Beaches

I enjoyed many fun boating moments during the recent year, criss-crossing Hong Kong in my 7.6-metre Highfield RIB. I’ve spent many weekends eagerly exploring new (to me) locations such as the southern beaches of Lantau Island or returning again and again to old favourites like the seafood restaurant at Po Toi Island.

Another particular activity stands out in my memory: camping. Since my boat isn’t ideal for sleeping on board, overnight trips call for finding a suitable beach and setting up a tent. While there is certainly extra effort involved with bringing tents, sleeping bags, BBQ supplies and all sorts of other camping paraphernalia to the beach, I’ve found it’s always worth the effort. Whether on a camping mission with my girlfriend Stacy or rounding up a group of friends for a larger beach outing, overnight trips have given me many highlight memories.

Imagine being at someplace as beautiful as Millionaire’s Bay in Sai Kung, and then as dusk starts to fall, the various boats in the bay haul up their anchors and start heading for home. Even before sunset’s reds and pinks have fully faded from the night sky, the bay that was busy at 3 pm is now a private paradise at 7 pm. I love this. After a cozy night of sleep in a tent, the bay at sunrise is equally empty and peaceful, and the perfect time to stoke the previous night’s campfire to life and boil water for coffee. By the time the first mug of coffee has been enjoyed, there are still a couple of hours left before the first boats start to arrive, a moment I’m already looking forward to as I write this.