(I fail to find the photo of the enclosed swimming area just before it was pulled down but one which was taken in the 1950s. The huts over water were where people changed their clothes and the actual swimming area was accessed by the ladders leading from the huts.)When I was small, there was only one public swimming pool in Macau peninsula, while the other swimming pools and the 2 beaches were all situated in Taipa and Coloane islands. However, as public traffic was not so convenient in the old days, people were less willing to travel a long way to the 2 islands. Therefore, aside from the one and only swimming pool, there was an enclosed swimming area at the seaside that was very close to the Macau Maritime Ferry Terminal (港澳碼頭) now. That enclosed swimming area was in fact simply a large topless and bottomless cage placed in the sea water which people could swim inside.
My first and only time of swimming at the enclosed swimming area was very unforgettable because I almost drowned there. At that time I had learnt how to swim but I did not aware that my father just let me swim at where the water level was not over my height. However, when I went to that enclosed area where I had not swum in before, I was so excited that once I had changed my swimming suit, I did not wait till my father came out from the changing room but jumped into the water. Then I found that my feet could not touch the ground under the water and I was immediately frightened. It was like I could not retrieve my ability to swim and I struggled to grab anything to get onto the shore. However, I was in the middle of the water and of course I could get hold of nothing. Luckily, a lady who was swimming there found out that I was going to drown and immediately grab me to the rail. Only at that time my father came out and I didn’t know why I dared not tell him this fearful experience of mine. For the rest of the time, I just swam carefully within the enclosed swimming area.
Due to the development of the outport area of Macau, this enclosed swimming area had been pulled down for more than 10 years. Now, it could only exist in the memory of the Macanese.
My first and only time of swimming at the enclosed swimming area was very unforgettable because I almost drowned there. At that time I had learnt how to swim but I did not aware that my father just let me swim at where the water level was not over my height. However, when I went to that enclosed area where I had not swum in before, I was so excited that once I had changed my swimming suit, I did not wait till my father came out from the changing room but jumped into the water. Then I found that my feet could not touch the ground under the water and I was immediately frightened. It was like I could not retrieve my ability to swim and I struggled to grab anything to get onto the shore. However, I was in the middle of the water and of course I could get hold of nothing. Luckily, a lady who was swimming there found out that I was going to drown and immediately grab me to the rail. Only at that time my father came out and I didn’t know why I dared not tell him this fearful experience of mine. For the rest of the time, I just swam carefully within the enclosed swimming area.
Due to the development of the outport area of Macau, this enclosed swimming area had been pulled down for more than 10 years. Now, it could only exist in the memory of the Macanese.
― Stella
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