Adventure | Kitesurfer to attempt delta crossing for ocean cleanup fundraiser

Hillian Siu is to attempt something never before done: a solo crossing of the Pearl River Delta starting at Hong Kong’s Cheung Chau Beach and arriving at Macau’s Ha Sac Beach in Coloane using only kitesurfing equipment.

Aside from the crossing being a first-of-a-kind adventure, the challenge has another meaningful objective, the kitesurfer explained to the Times.

“I aim to raise awareness of the problem of ocean plastic and garbage,” said Siu.

Scheduled for tomorrow, the crossing “will be a trial run prior to a fundraising event that I’m planning,” serving as a safety check and a way to test the conditions and collect data for the bigger event planed for November.

For the main event in November, Siu hopes to surf “together with 30 other kitesurfers to fundraise for the ocean [protection] cause.”

Speaking to the Times, Siu advanced that there are a few conditions necessary for the success of the attempt – most decisively, the wind conditions.

“The wind is really the major aspect. We need to see if we can get enough wind to perform the crossing as we rely entirely on that,” she said. “If the wind stops and my kite drops, then I won’t be able to put it back up to continue [the trip].”

Another major challenge concerns maritime traffic in the area. “We are definitely avoiding the ferry routes and trying to do the crossing all the way out as much as possible, from Cheung Chau Island and in the direction toward Hac Sa.”

The solo crossing will count on the support of a small team of five, who will travel nearby in a boat and offer assistance in an emergency.

Simon Holliday, a Hong Kong resident who swam the crossing between the two regions a few years back, encountered an immigration issue upon reaching his Macau beach destination.

Regarding the immigration issue, Siu said, “we are aware of the [bureaucratic] difficulties and our plan is in fact not to reach land in Macau but to jump back on the boat after reaching a defined ‘finish line’ and from there go with the crew to do a proper immigration check.”

She said that, technically, the crossing will be done by boat. “But there is nothing that says that I can’t do a watersports activity during this boat trip.”

As Siu noted, the purpose is meaningful – just as in the case of Holliday’s crossing – “seeking funding for an innovative project related to ocean cleanup, which is to be the [final] beneficiary of the fundraising event.”

“If a 45-kilogram tiny woman can do this, I think that it more than proves that any other kitesurfer can do it too,” she said laughing.

Depending on the wind conditions, the equipment used and the personal skill of the kitesurfer, Siu estimated that the crossing could take from one hour up to five.

For tomorrow’s attempt, Siu is hoping to depart Cheung Chau in the early morning and arrive in Macau in the early afternoon “if the wind allows.”