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  Electric New Paper 23 Apr 07
Do you know about Tuas' secret beach?

TUAS. The name conjures images of smokestacks, factories and workers in hard hats. Not the kind of place you'd expect to find a nature refuge. But you'd be surprised.
By Ho Lian Yi

TUAS. The name conjures images of smokestacks, factories and workers in hard hats. Not the kind of place you'd expect to find a nature refuge.

But you'd be surprised. Hidden in the industrial estate is a long, sandy, clean beach unknown to most Singaporeans. Quiet, free from crowds and far from industrial buildings, it is the perfect place to relax by oneself or with the family, to have a picnic or fly a kite.

Look for a large, green, mostly treeless field along Tuas South Ave 4. Travel on foot between the clusters of lalang grass and head towards the suaying casuarina trees in the distance. It is a 300m trek, but it is worth it.

It was, as the photographer Mohd Ishak remarked, East Coast 30 years ago. In the glare of the morning sun, the clear blue sea sparkled. Despite the many vessels docked at the shipyard on the opposite shore, the water felt cool and refreshing to the touch and lacked the stinging smell the sea here sometimes has. Since the beach faces west, it is warm in the evening, but one can easily retreat to the gorgeous treeline for a breather.

It was Mr Lee Suat Hui, a teacher, who alerted The New Paper on Sunday to his find. He discovered the beach more than a year ago. 'When I'm free, I like to go 'recce' the western part of Singapore, including the reclaimed land,' said Mr Lee, 55, who lives in 'the Jurong area'.

This is because, as a teacher, he is always looking for good places to take students for field trips. It is eye-opening for pupils to be exposed to the less developed parts of Singapore, in constrast to the urban sprawl of the rest of the country.

It was on one such trip that he discovered the beach. 'Most of the reclaimed land is fenced up. You can't go to the sea,' he said, adding that he has found only this particular spot with uninhibited access.

But there is more than his students' welfare that drives him. An avid angler, he loves looking for undiscovered spots to cast his hook and line. 'Unfortunately, I don't think there are fish there,' he said.

There are not many people either. He said that he rarely sees anyone at the beach. If there are people, they are usually employees who work nearby or foreign workers taking a break.

During our trip there at 9am on Wednesday, there wasn't a soul to be seen.

Surely Mr Lee would not want his rare pristine spot to be swamped by the masses? Why did he decide to share his secret with the public?

'I want to share it before there's no chance to see (such secluded beaches) any more,' hesaid. With constant development in Tuas, he expects that it won't be long before the field gets built over.

SWIMMING NOT ADVISED

But as enticing as the waters may be, resist the temptation to go for a dip. That is the advice of Singapore Life Saving Society (SLSS) Secretary General, Mr Richard Tan.

'Our position: People should not swim unless there are lifeguards on duty - especially on open waters, which is what water off a beach is,' he said. The water may seem calm. but there may be hidden dangers such as sudden drop-offs, strong currents and holes. Man-made hazards like sharp objects and dangerous marine life can also pose a danger. It is only after a safety audit that lifeguards will clear a beach for swimming.

'Don't go in because you are putting yourself at risk,' said Mr Tan.
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