With a bit of imagination and drive, the highly popular Alexander Grantham fireboat attraction at Quarry Bay could be joined by a sister vessel of equal importance. Many Hongkongers are mourning the imminent loss of the Boeing jet-propelled Macau hydrofoils that the late Dr Stanley Ho first brought to the city. Introduced in 1974 when the price of fuel was considerably less, the well-known “Flores” – the first jetfoil – has recently been retired and could potentially become an important on-land tourist asset.

Too much of the city’s maritime heritage has simply disappeared. An opportunity now exists to celebrate when Hong Kong adopted then-cutting edge technology to link with Macau and Zhuhai, with an exhilarating ride for all the family for more than four decades.