sembawang park re-visited

this distinctive shelter is found only in sembawang park. a quiet park on weekdays, it comes alive on weekends when families from the yishun area gather to barbeque, swim, fish or camp.

this is a view of beaulieu house from the back. built in 1910, it is now a seafood restaurant which also caters to wedding and birthday parties. my friend victor, a loyal customer of the restaurant, had followed the move of the restaurant. the few years when it ceased operation at beaulieu house, it was, first, at safra yacht club and then, at the cdans club along canberra road before moving back to beaulieu house.

the sembawang shipyard, which used to be a british naval base from 1938 to 1968, is just next to the park. in the 70s we used to fish from the sembawang jetty, from which i took this photograph.

sembawang park is one of the few places fronting the sea where camping is allowed. these days, you do not need a permit to camp on weekends or public holidays but you need a permit for weekday camping. registration for a permit is done by the park ranger who comes around with a hand-held scanner to scan your identity card.

camping is also permitted at changi beach, east coast park areas c and d, pasir ris and west coast park.