The mystery of Miss Willy
secrets
Nicole Slater discovers Southside’s unique tourist attraction
Exactly whose skeleton stands guard next to the Swire Institute of Marine Science at Cape D’Aguilar remains a mystery. Some say it belongs to the female Orca (killer whale), Hoi Wai who performed in Ocean Park for 18 years until her death in 1997. Others say the bones are those of a juvenile Bryde’s whale found stranded between the pillars of a wharf in Victoria Harbour in 1955. Google Maps denotes the skeleton as the Bones of Miss Willy. This unique tourist attraction has been rediscovered over the lockdown period, with many families using the skeleton as a spooky way to get the kids exploring. In any case, this lesser known part of the Southern District is well worth visiting. Named
after Major-General George Charles D’Aguilar, D’Aguilar Peninsula sits at the southeastern tip of Hong Kong Island. It’s a quiet, wild and wave-lashed place with a 20-hectare marine reserve, mangroves, caves, a coral reef and a heritage lighthouse dating back to 1875 - the first in Hong Kong. The lighthouse and Swire Institute of Marine Science are not open to the public but visitors can explore other areas, whilst minimising any disturbance to the surrounding nature. A word of caution, to discourage hordes of visitors there are no public sanitary facilities in the Marine Reserve, including litter bins and toilets. In order to protect the important organisms and their habitats here, all water
sports and coastal recreational activities, except those permitted for scientific purposes, are prohibited.
To get to Cape D’Aguilar: Take First Bus 9 and get off at D’Aguilar Road and walk for about 40 minutes (no motor vehicles are allowed on the road except for taxis). Alternatively, you can hike straight up and over D’Aguilar Peak from Shek O beach (an unofficial trail is marked by ribbons and chalk). The area is closest to Hong Kong Trail Stage 8.
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