An encounter with an Eagle Ray near Clark's Rock (2008)

Remnants of a ship wreck on the sea side of the ridge (2014)

The Great Basses light house was designed and built in 1867 by Sir J. N. Douglass under the advice of Michael Faraday. The granite blocks were shipped to Sri Lanka and then assembled over a period of 2 to 3 years during the lull in the monsoons.

Natural Formations
The Basses are full of strange sandstone reefs carved by the strong tides. The seascape is a delightful variation of geographical oddities. Ravines, pillars, pinnacles,caves and crevices. Also in certain channels, the surge creates long stretches of very artificial looking furrows.

Fauna and Flora

Last but not least this is the place to see fish! Groupers, Gray Sharks, Tuna, Angelfishes, Rays, Giant Maori Wrasses (Napoleons), Snappers and millions of other denizens of the ocean. Undoubtedly the Basses are the foremost place to dive in Sri Lanka. A must do for every diver who sets foot in Sri Lanka. You haven't dived until you dived the Basses. What an amazing place rich in Beauty, Marine Life and with a firm foot hold in history. In his book "The Treasure of the Great Reef", Arthur C. Clarke recounts the encounters with three large Groupers (Potato Cods) Ali Baba, Sinbad and Aladin. The divers befriend the groupers and are amazed by their individuality and uniqueness. The end, however, is shockingly sad. Arthur C. Clarke reports that a different group of divers (underwater "sportsmen") took advantage of the groupers familiarity to humans and promptly impaled them to their death with their spear guns.

Magnificent creatures such as these three Groupers are a rarity and needs to be protected. We appeal to the underwater sportsmen to spare precious, rare and large species and not hunt them for food or sport. A selfish reason: A single large species in death may cost $50 on a plate. The same specimen alive will fetch thousands of dollars of tourist revenue to the simple and poor folk around the coast of Sri Lanka who depend on tourism. If you are diver please don't be a hunter for sport. Hunt for food if you wish. For sport, there are plenty of big rats in Sri Lanka and not necessarily under the gutters.

We also urge sports spear fishermen to pick challenging targets such as swimming Trevally while free diving and not sitting ducks in the form of friendly Groupers or Napoleons while SCUBA diving. You only require hand eye coordination skills of a toddler to spear a friendly grouper at close proximity while SCUBA diving. Really its no big deal so please be A.W.A.R.E (#7)