Walking races aside, the Causeway was also a familiar landmark for other sporting activities. In March 1972 , a teacher and his two students set sail with the tide at the Causeway, beginning their adventure in their homemade raft. Determined to sail round the island, the trio comprised technical teacher, Chan Kar Wai, 23, and two 16-year-old secondary four students, Paul Chan and Chua Lee Hua, from Dunearn Secondary Technical School.

The raft might have looked unassuming, but it was the sole effort of the two students. They had contacted factories to obtain the donation of oil drums, collected off-cuts from the woodwork shop, and finally assembled the raft with these materials.⁵ Despite accomplishing only half the journey, it was nonetheless a commendable effort. To the trio, the Causeway would be remembered as the beginning of their adventure.

Meanwhile, for 78 National Cadet Corps (NCC) (SEA) members, the Causeway marked the end of their three-day canoeing expedition around Singapore. This was the NCC’s third run of their annual canoeing expedition, and it concluded successfully on 2 June 1977 when the cadets touched the east bank of the Causeway. With an average age of 15, the cadets demonstrated their tenacity and were rewarded with the NCC Adventure Badge,⁶ and a memorable experience.

These two instances were but a small glimpse into the many sporting events that occurred in the vicinity of the Causeway, making it a venue to remember for many.

Click here to explore another aspect of the Causeway's social stories, or here to return to the main Causeway Centenary page.

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