Members had ordered fruits and snacks for this cruise. When we reached Marina South Pier at 1.50pm, some FINs helped to carry the bags of food and fruits onto the boat. This junk boat is named after Admiral Zheng He, also popularly known as Cheng Ho. Under Emperor Zhu Di, Zheng He rose in power to become the principal envoy and commander of the great treasure fleet. In July 1405, Zheng He left Liujia Harbour with a vast fleet of more than 300 ships manned by more than 27,000 men and began on the first of his seven voyages . Marina South Pier replaces the old Clifford Pier as the pier for domestic ferry and motor launch vessels. The Imperial Cheng Ho consist of three air-conditioned levels and outdoor areas. It can take up to 190 passengers, and is well decorated with Chinese engravings and pictures. The trip usually involves a half hour stopover at Kusu Island (Source: www.watertours.com.sg).
Members and FINs board the cruise ship at 2.00pm. As the boat headed for Kusu Island, FINs were treated to a Kuehs and a variety of fruits - Durians, Longans, Mangosteens - and coffee and tea. FINs roamed around the boat and enjoyed the sites of the open sea, the Marina Bay area and Sentosa. It was a relaxing time for many of the FINs as they chatted with friends and took pictures. We brought an instant printer, so that pictures taken could be given to FINs immediately.
The boat reached Kusu Island at 3pm. Kusu Island is one of the Southern Islands in Singapore. The name means "Tortoise Island".On the Island, there is a Da Bo Gong Temple, built in 1923 by a wealthy businessman. the temple houses two main deities - the Da Bo Gong and Guan Yin (Source: Wikipedia). FINs also visited a Malay Shrine on a hill rock, wishing well and tortoise sanctuary.
After spending about 45 min on the island, the boat headed back for mainland. Many FINs felt that this was a refreshing experience from the usual outings on the main island. As we reached the shore, we boarded the bus for dinner.
We reached Jin Long Restaurant in Bedok at about 6.30pm. FINs had a hearty meal of seafood, duck, vegetables and variety of dishes. We paid special arrangements for Muslim food for the Muslims, and that their fasting periods were accorded. Dinner ended at around 7pm, and the buses brought us back to the church, where we dispersed thereafter.
Written by: Vincent