Sha Chau
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Sha Chau (Chinese: 沙洲, lit. "Sand Island", formerly transliterated as Saw-Chow)[1] is an island at the northwest water of Hong Kong. It is off the shore of Lung Kwu Tan near Tuen Mun in the mainland New Territories, separated by waterway of Urmston Road.
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[edit] Geography
Sha Chau is composed of four islets including Sheung Sha Chau (上沙洲), Tai Sha Chau (大沙洲), Ha Sha Chau (下沙洲) and Siu Sha Chau (小沙洲).[2]
[edit] History
Sha Chau was a shelter for the British opium ships at the time of the Qing Dynasty.[3]
[edit] Features
A Tin Hau Temple is located on Tai Sha Chau.[2] According to inscriptions, the temple was probably initially built in 1846 by fishermen from Castle Peak Bay off Sha Chau. The temple was destroyed by a fire in the 1970s and was rebuilt in 1998.[2] It is a Grade II Historic Building[4] since 1981.[2]
An aviation fuel receipt facility (the Receipt Jetty) is located at Sha Chau. The Receipt Jetty is where bulk intake of fuel for Hong Kong airport takes place. The Receipt Jetty is connected to twin 6 km submarine pipelines which carry the fuel to Chek Lap Kok.[5] Sha Chau was initially intended to be a temporary location for the facility.[6]
Sha Chau is also the site of an Approach Surveillance Radar (ASR) and of a Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) for air traffic control.[7]
[edit] Conservation
Since 1996, the island, together with Lung Kwu Chau and Pak Chau are within the boundaries of the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park. The three island have been listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1979.[8] It is known as a dolphin sanctuary where is the habitat for the Chinese white dolphin.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Construction of Lung Kwu Chau Jetty - Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment
- ^ a b c d Brief Information on Items, pp.469-470
- ^ Antiquities and Monuments Offices - Introduction to 1444 Historic Buildings, p.1342
- ^ List of Graded Historic Buildings in Hong Kong (as at 6 November 2009)
- ^ AFSC website
- ^ Confirmed Minutes of the 52nd Meeting of the Advisory Council on the Environment held on 29 June 1998
- ^ ATS Surveillance Services and Procedures
- ^ Environmental Protection Department: Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
[edit] External links
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Coordinates: 22°20′42″N 113°53′23″E / 22.3449°N 113.8897°E
