The Summer Kayaking Diaries: Leg 1 – Headwinds, Salt & Pepper Squid

Welcome to the maiden voyage of the Summer Kayaking Diaries. Paddling from Sai Kung to Shek O.
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The premise is simple: Our guide Rory has taken his trusty seasoned sea kayak out for a sporadic, ad-hoc loop around Hong Kong. No massive, multi-day expedition pressure. Just him, a paddle and whatever the day throws his way.

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Phase 1: The Sai Kung Launch & The Battle of the Headwind

The journey started where the kayak lives: Sha Ha Beach in Sai Kung. The sun was blazing, the energy was high, and nature immediately decided to test my resolve.

As soon as I cleared the immediate shelter of the bay, I was slapped in the face by a stiff southerly headwind. Paddling directly into a summer south wind in Hong Kong is a special kind of masochism—it feels like you're grinding on a treadmill, except the treadmill keeps splashing saltwater in your eyes.
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Knowing I had a massive distance to cover, I broke the first stint down into manageable chunks. I hugged the coast over to Sharp Island (Kiu Tsui Chau) to tuck away from the wind and catch a quick breather.

Launching from Sha Ha Beach

Bluebird day at Kiu Tsui

​From Sharp Island, it was time to face the music. The crossing past Shelter Island (Ngau Mei Chau) is a big, exposed piece of water. The wind was whipping up whitecaps, and the kayak's seasoned hull was flexing into the rollers. It was an epic, arm-burning crossing, but there’s nothing quite like the feeling of being entirely isolated out there, rhythmic paddling keeping you moving forward inch by inch.

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Phase 2: The Ultimate Mid-Paddle Pitstop (Po Toi O)

After surviving the open water chop around Clear Water Bay, I pulled into the sheltered haven of Po Toi O. If you have never been, Po Toi O is a traditional, sleepy fishing village tucked into a deep bay, famous for its seafood.

This pitstop was easily the absolute highlight of the day.

The Fuel of Champions: > There is no premium sports gel or energy bar on earth that can compete with what came next: a plate of piping hot salt and pepper squid, a mountain of fried rice, and a brutally cold Tsingtao beer.

Full tank of diesel

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Phase 3: The Tathong Tag-Team to Shek O

As the afternoon began to soften, it was time for the final push. I paddled out out of Clear Water Bay towards Tung Lung Chau, the rugged island that guards the entrance to the bustling Tathong Channel.

This is where the plan got even better. I have a friend who lives in Shek O, and he paddled across from Shek O on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) to rendezvous with me.

North side of Tung Lung Chau looking across to Clear Water Bay Country Club

We linked up near Tung Lung Chau and tackled the final leg together. The seas were quite choppy. As we finally rounded the headland into Shek O, the sky absolutely exploded into a brilliant, fiery Hong Kong summer sunset.

Final stretch into Shek O

Hitting the beach at Shek O with the sun dropping behind the hills was a banging way to get the ball rolling on this series. The old kayak survived its first major test.

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What’s Next for the Diaries?

Now that the kayak is safely stationed on the south side of Hong Kong Island, the next step is to explore around the rugged coastlines of Shek O for a little bit.

From there, the grand plan is to keep pushing west. Most of our commercial tours stick to the eastern areas of Sai Kung and the Geopark, which means the Western side of Hong Kong is uncharted territory for me. I’ve paddled there only a little, and there is a whole world of coastlines, hidden beaches, and new horizons lying in wait.
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Stay tuned for Leg 2!