Dive Kiralagala (www.DiveSriLanka.com)
Hikkaduwa
By Dharshana Jayawardena

Depth: 40 Meters. Only for divers, with Advanced Open Water training or Deep Diver Specially training or accompanied with a qualified Dive Instructor.

   

A spectacular descend to the deep. Feel the mounting sense of trepidation as you dive beyond 30 Meters and approach the very edge of the recreational dive limits. This deep dive is totally justified. Though you can't remain at 40 M for more than 5 Minutes to 8 Minutes; there is a lot see. Kiralagla seem to be a formation of several rock pillars. Some clustered together and some far apart; just like skyscrapers in a small city. But this is a busy city. As you sink slowly and silently down alongside a precipitous rock wall, you will see it covered with beautiful coral; both of the soft and hard kind. Domino Damsels and Basslets flutter away amidst Angelfish and Butterflyfish. It's hard to tear your eyes away from this colorful treat and peer into the deep ocean. But you must, for otherwise you will miss the schools of Trevally, Fusiliers, Red Tooth Triggers raining upon this rock formation. That's it! Kiralagala is just raining fish!
 
A large Moray Eel in a rocky crevice.		    
 


Basslets swim around a beautiful growth of coral. Bottom Middle: Fan coral is also in abundance at Kiralagala. Bottom Left: A Long Fin Bannerfish.


Top & Bottom Right: A False Stone Fish is perched on a rocky outcrop. This is actually a type of Scorpionfish often confused for a Stonefish.

    
 
A pretty Lionfish suspended in mid water. 		   
   


An Emperor Angel keeping a close watch on its juvenile.
A small Panther Torpedo Ray relaxes on a rock ledge at around 30m 		   


Brown fan coral.
A Rock Cod of sorts resting atop coral.		        

Smoke Angels pecking away at the coral polyps.
Fan coral, a filter feeder, on a rocky overhang.

A cluster of beautiful and colorful coral polyps.
The flight of the Long Fins. Three Bannerfish lead the way for us in the darkness of the deep.		        

It is raining fish! A school of Yellow Back Fusiliers are suddenly upon us.
A diver explores one of the many pinnacles 		       

A Cleaner Wrasse waits among fan coral


Silhouette of a large fish as we look up a rock.

  
Polyps feed in the gentle currents.		      

We ascend to 25 meters and the sunlight is stronger.
A Domino Damsel flutters among coral 		       

Kiralagala provides the ideal footing for many types of coral
Close up of a muti-branched filter feeder perched atop a rock. 		         
 


Top: Another large school of Fusiliers envelops us we wait in our safety stop.

Left: Friends from Europe keep us company on a longer than usual safety stop.

It's not difficult to completely loose focus on safety amidst all the lovely distractions at Kiralagala. So we strongly recommend that you have a dive computer as you are sure to exceed the decompression limits in this dive.

         
                       

The dive profile is as generally as follows: Dive straight down to 40M. Spend about 5 minutes and ascend to between 25 M to 20 M for the rest of the dive. Make sure you have enough air for about 10 Minute safety/deco stop depending on how much you overstay at the bottom. DIVE WITH A COMPUTER! Also a 12 Liter tank with about 250 BAR air is recommended.

Kiralagala rocks!

 

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