C OURT ESY OF AQUA LUN A (4)CRUISINGThe Last
Junk
Handcrafted by one of
Hong Kong’s last true boat
builders, the new Aqua Luna II
pays homage to
the city’s maritime past.
BY KATE SPRINGERIVORY AND IMPERIAL-BLUE SAILS,
arched like dragon wings, pull taut
in the evening breeze as the
teakwood hull plies an easy
45-minute loop through Victoria
Harbour. The sail design is inspired
by Ming Dynasty–era ceramics,
featuring a dragon motif as a symbol
of luck, and cuts a dramatic
silhouette against the night sky,
glittering with city lights. There are
other ships aplenty in these
waters—cruise liners, cargo vessels,
fishing boats, and motorized
yachts—but I’m aboard what might
be Hong Kong’s last true junk.
The Aqua Luna II was built by
hand and without a single nail by Au
Wai, an octogenarian junk builder
and the last of his ilk in the city until
he recently retired. These traditional
boats emerged during China’s Han
Dynasty, and were used for
shipping, fishing, exploration—even
in battle—for the next two
millennia. As recently as the 1970s,
Au says, “the industry was thriving
and there were a lot of traditional
junks docked in the harbor.” But
over the years, the boats have
slowly disappeared.
Despite a few modern
adjustments to comply with
government regulations, Au’s
building process remained firmly
rooted in time-honored methods. Heuses bamboo for waterproofing and
Indonesian teak wood to construct
the hull, carefully cutting pieces
according to their flexibility. The
curved bottom of the boat, for
example, requires the most
malleable planks. Each piece is
heated into shape, then locked
together with a tree-derived glue.
Together with his son, Au Sai-Kit,
and a team of builders, the elder Au
spent two years constructing the
Aqua Luna II in mainland China,
before moving his work to Hong
Kong. The ship took its maiden
voyage in April, joining its sister
craft, the red-sailed Aqua Luna, on
Victoria Harbour./ here&now/
28 AUGUST 2017 / TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM