Ferries Coming & Going

As the only way to get on and off the island, the ferry is an indispensable experience for any Peng Chau resident.

Compared to the hectic, warlike MTR or buses, during the rush hours on Peng Chau pier one can clearly hear the “ka” of the turnstiles, and the “doo” of the octopus cards, as well as the morning greetings between pier staff and passengers. The ferry runs only every 30 minutes or so, so missing one can be a big deal. That’s probably why the pier rings a bell, like at school. The last-minute screech of the tolling bell, and the unrelenting crash of the closing gates, clash with the clattering and scraping of hurrying shoes.

Apart from the ferry to and from Central, there is a fixed kai-to route that connects Peng Chau with Discovery Bay, and an interisland ferry service that stops at Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan, and Cheung Chau. These three routes, operated by three separate companies, use different types of boats. The interisland ferry has a far more high-pitched sound than the Central route, which becomes more and more screechy over the course of the trip. The Discovery Bay kai-to emits a loud engine roar when it starts, which eventually quietens down as it sails. Probably because the sounds of the people are masked by those of the boats and waves, a fully-loaded, rush-hour ferry does not seem too noisy. The other two, less popular, routes are usually very relaxing.

I enjoy taking the ferry home, as it is always calmer than the MTR or any of the buses. The engine of the boat and the song of the waves escorts me from one audio world to another.

船來船往

要進出坪洲，只能搭船。船是坪洲生活的一部分。

相比起全日都繁忙的地鐵，繁忙時間的坪洲碼頭，還聽得見一次次過閘的「卡」聲和八達通的「嘟」聲，聽得見碼頭職員和搭客講早晨，不至於像地鐵巴士般打仗。但船再密還是三十多分鐘，錯過一班可大可小，大概因為這樣，碼頭像學校一樣會響鐘：臨關閘前一分鐘是催命鐘，關閘時又響多一下完結鐘，伴着趕入閘的步伐。

除了來往中環的船外，坪洲尚有來往愉景灣的街渡，以及來往梅窩、芝麻灣和長洲的橫水渡，三條航線由三間公司營運，船隻都不同。來往中環的船的聲音則很低，也十分穩定；橫水渡的聲音，要比來往中環的船高音得多，而且越行越高音；來往愉景灣的渡輪，開船時有一下很大的引擎聲，之後就漸漸定下來。船聲和浪聲好像蓋過了人聲，令繁忙時間來往中環坐滿人的船，不至於太喧鬧；另外兩條人本來不多的航線，就更是時時安寧愜意。

因為船比地鐵巴士都平靜，所以我喜歡這出門歸家的方式。船的引擎聲和海浪聲，為耳朵由一個世界過渡到另一個世界。

:: Recording 錄音 ::

早上碼頭 Pier in the morning
6’42”
Yip Kai-chun/ 葉啟俊
Morning/ 上午, 13/01/2018
Peng Chau Ferry Pier/ 坪洲碼頭
Zoom H6 Handy Recorder/ Walking While Recording/ 邊行邊錄音

Ferry from Peng Chau to Central/ 坪洲往中環渡輪
26’07”
Yip Kai-chun/ 葉啟俊
Morning/ 上午, 13/01/2018
Zoom H6 Handy Recorder/ Recorder in stationary position/ 錄音機靜置

Ferry from Peng Chau to Discovery Bay/ 坪洲往愉景灣渡輪
15’56”
Yip Kai-chun/ 葉啟俊
Afternoon/ 下午, 20/01/2018
Zoom H6 Handy Recorder/ Recorder in stationary position/ 錄音機靜置

Inter-island Ferry from Peng Chau to Mui Wo/ 坪洲往梅窩橫水渡
20’58”
Yip Kai-chun/ 葉啟俊
Afternoon/ 下午, 05/10/2017
Zoom H6 Handy Recorder/ Recorder in stationary position/ 錄音機靜置

:: Tuning Silences — Listening to Peng Chau 怎個靜字了得 — 耳聽坪洲 ::
> Prologue 引言
1. Low Volume Ear Cleansing 清耳仔的底聲
2. Noises in Serenity 靜中帶嘈
3. The Songs of Birds and Bamboo 鳥風竹浪
4. Festivals and Ritual Ceremonies 慶典祭祀
5. Ferries Coming & Going 船來船往
< Conclusion 結語