Deep Blue Adventure

SOUTHERN WRECK DIVES

As Sri Lanka has always been a confluence of sea routes, it is not surprising there are so many shipwrecks of varying age littering the sea bed offshore. Consequently the island is a magnet for those interested in wreck diving. Sri Lanka's south cost has much marine archaeology to offer including one of the world's first oil tankers.

by revati chawla

On the night of June 2nd 1903, one of the first oil tankers ever built sank off the coast of southwest Sri Lanka. She was on a journey from Novorossiysk, Russia, to Madras, India, when she hit rocks and sank in a depth of 21 metres. Although there were no known casualties, she produced the world's first big oil slick.

The Conch, as she was called, was built in 1892 for the Shell Oil Company and weighed 3,555 tonnes, which would today be considered small for an oil tanker. She lies upside down, shattered in two huge sections at the bottom of the ocean. The stern, carrying the engine room, lies at a depth of about 20 metres, while the three boilers and bow are slightly shallower. The wreck is located off the coast of Hikkaduwa on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, and takes an hour to reach by boat. The rocky bottom of the sea and the shallow warm water provide the perfect site for an exciting first-time wreck dive.

For first-time divers, Sri Lankan waters are the ideal place to learn, and for those who have never tried it, diving provides endless pleasure in a world infinitely different to the one we usually inhabit. Although it used to be considered a dangerous sport, with the correct training and necessary precautions diving can be one of the most exhilarating experiences ever. One doesn't need much, except to be healthy (with strong lungs!) a basic certification, and lots of passion!

Although one always dives with a 'buddy', in pairs, it is still, in many ways, a solitary sport. This is especially so since you cannot talk to your partner and all communication takes place by signs. It is also difficult to get someone's attention under water even though you may be just a few feet away from each other; touching is often the only option! But swimming through this totally silent, natural environment with only the sound of your own breathing and brightly coloured fish for companions, can be a joyous and peaceful experience for anyone.

In Sri Lanka you can become a certified diver by following the basic open water PADI dive course, offered by 7 accredited dive centres in Sri Lanka, which be completed in about 5 days. This includes 3 days of instructions and diving in a controlled environment – in most cases, a swimming pool – and two days of diving in the open water. Four open-water sea dives plus a written test is pretty much all it takes to obtain the basic certification. Along with this, you are also required to record your dives in your personal log book, for technical details such as weight, visibility and depth, but also for other information such as the sighting of unusual species of fish or coral.

The southwest coast of Sri Lanka harbours a wealth of shipwrecks, over 20 of which can be reached within an hour by boat from Hikkaduwa. Most of these wrecks date back to the 19th century and new ones are discovered every few years. Some of the more interesting ones, apart from the Conch, include The Earl of Shaftesbury, a sailing ship that sunk in 1893, The Rangoon, a steam ship that sank in 1863, and the Norsa, another steam ship, which sank in 1889.

Diving in this region of Sri Lanka is best between the months of December to early April, when the water is a warm 27 degrees and clear, with visibility often reaching 20 metres. It's almost like entering a warm bath except that you're in the limitless blue ocean.

What Sri Lanka lacks in reefs, corals, and plant life it makes up for in its variety and quantity of beautiful brightly coloured reef-fish. On a regular dive, one can easily expect to spot up to 20 different varieties of brilliant fish, including the bright yellow and black-striped butterfly fish, the deep aquamarine-blue surgeon fish and the blazing turquoise-green of the parrotfish.

Some species, like the flounder for instance, disguise themselves by adopting the colours of the seabed and are thus difficult to spot until they suddenly swim forward from under you! Common Reef Fish of Sri Lanka a pocket sized, well-illustrated book by Charles Anderson, is a useful resource for identifying reef-fish species found in the tropical waters off the island.

Most reef-fish are docile and shy and swim away when approached. However be wary of the Triggerfish, particularly the female of the species, for she lays her eggs in the nooks and crevices of rocks and is then seen to circulate its nest tirelessly. Having unknowingly approached one once, I was rewarded with a sharp bite on the tip of my flippers.

Another added attraction of diving off the south west coast of Hikkaduwa is the amazing experience of diving with turtles. The large Olive Ridley Turtles come in at high tide or in the afternoon, and feed in the still waters off-shore. Although basically shy, the chances of seeing them close up are high, as they need to come up to the surface to breathe every thirty minutes. One memorable experience I had was watching two turtles mate; floating on the surface with the swell of the ocean, in the early morning rays of the sun. However, when approached, they quickly disappeared into the safer depths of the sea.

It's now many years since the Conch met its end in our waters, providing divers with an unusually accessible wreck to visit. Today, however, an average of over 300 fully laden giant super-tankers sail the southern coast off Sri Lanka each month. Thanks to backing from the Swedish International Development Agency and Sir James Owen of Pharos Marine, five light houses along this coast have been newly renovated, which is likely to prevent ships from suffering a similar fate to the Conch.

Visit www.paddi.com for more information on diving locations

HIKKADUWA

Distance from Colombo: 87 km

Travelling time: 2.5 hours

Transport options: Bus (Galle, Matara, Tangalle, Kataragama – any bus heading south, but Galle is the best bet as it is the quickest with no tea stops); train (to Galle or Matara).

Famous for: Most popular beach resort village in southern Sri Lanka; snorkelling; diving; surfing (in season).

Attractions en route: Ambalangoda, know for its mask carvers. Masks are displayed throughout the town at retail outlets and handicraft workshops.

Best time of year: Popular all year round but the sea is at its best from December to April. This is also the most popular time for European tourists.
