XN000022-1985-06-16 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 1985

PUBLIC URGED TO PLAY SAFE' OUTDOORS

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OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, THOUGH EXCITING AND CHALLENGING, CONTAIN AN ELEMENT OF DANGER, PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF WATER SPORTS.

THE WARNING CAME FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR PETER CHAN WHO WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE 1985 WATER SPORTS SAFETY DAY HELD TODAY (SUNDAY) AT THE EAST TSIM SHA TSUI PROMENADE.

MR CHAN SAID THAT SINCE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG, WERE TAKING PART IN SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, THEY SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY.

THE WATER SPORTS SAFETY DAY IS AN ANNUAL EVENT DESIGNED TO DRIVE HOME THE MESSAGE THAT PARTICIPANTS OF AQUATIC SPORTS SHOULD EXERCISE COMMON SENSE AND CARE, AND OBSERVE THE BASIC SAFETY RULES AS A MEANS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS.

IT WAS ORGANISED BY THE COMMITTEE ON SAFETY IN OUTDOOR PURSUITS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OTHER RELATED GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND ASSOCIATIONS.

THE WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES AT SEA AND ON LAND ATTRACTED THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS AND WATER SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS TO THE WATERFRONT THIS AFTERNOON.

THE ACTIVITIES AT SEA WERE LAUNCHED BY A SPECTACULAR SEA-PARADE INVOLVING SOME 20 VESSELS AND 100 SURF-BOARDS, AND WERE FOLLOWED BY SAFETY DEMONSTRATIONS ON HIGH DIVING SKIING, WINDSURFING, AS WELL AS RESCUE AND LIFE SAVING TECHNIQUES.

THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY WAS A SEA RESCUE BY HELICOPTER.

ON LAND, THERE WERE DISPLAYS OF VARIOUS WATER SPORTS EQUIPMENT, STATISTICS AND PHOTOGRAPHS. IN A MAKE-SHIFT MINI-THEATRE, THE PUBLIC ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH AND LEARN FROM VIDEO FILM SHOWS THE TECHNIQUES ON YACHTING, SKIING, WINDSURFING AND UNDER-WATER SWIMMING.

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