colombo divers is located in Mount Lavinia Beach south of Colombo
The grand opening of the dive center on Dec 5th 2009
colombo divers, first such dive operation in Colombo started their operations on the 5th of December 2009 on the beautiful tourist area of Mount Lavinia beach. The dive center will conduct daily two tank dive trips to the reefs and ship wrecks of Colombo. All courses from PADI Scuba Diver to PADI DIve Master will also be conducted by experienced PADI instructors. See www.colombodivers.com for more information.
November Report - The curse of intermonsoons
Finally a break in the rain!
Four Cuttlefish
A vibrant display of pulsating color
22/11/09: Weeks of heavy rains had suddenly stopped; perhaps only briefly. We quickly rise to the occasion and conduct two dives at the Cargo Wreck. Away from the wreck in the sand among miscellaneous pieces of ship debris we find four cuttlefish. The visibility is still about 6M but the fish life is prolific. We see large Barracuda and schools of Surgeon Fish around the wreck. Two great dives!
24/10/09-25/10/09: Finally the west coast season has started. As usual things are not perfect. While the sea was calm the visibility was a low 3M-5M and in some dives there was a strong north bound surface current. But the fish life was excellent and we saw a lot of Cleaner Wrasse busy in their cleaning stations servicing expectant customers both in Negombo and in Colombo! it seems the fish are busy preparing to look good when all the divers show up very soon!
25/09/09-27/09/09 - Hermes Expedition VI is a spectacular sucsess! Despite several mishaps and hardships (including dragging a boat over a sand bank!) we finally make it to the Hermes vibrant with marine life! Click here for more pictures and information!
Aug Report - Dive the East Coast
Top side - Sri Lanka, the small miracle
Scuba Diving is not the only reason you should visit Sri Lanka! (To view this video from Youtube enable scripts in your browser when asked to)
Sri Lanka Sub Aqua Club conducts a workshop on fish identification
15/08/09 - Marine Biologist Nishan Perera conducted a one day Fish Identification workshop "Know Your Fish" for the Sri Lanka Sub Aqua Club. Over thirty participants joined this workshop and learnt the science and approach for fish identification. The Sri Lanka Sub Aqua Club is the only Scuba Diving Club in Sri Lanka. It organizes monthly activities such as presentations & workshops, weekend dives and dive expeditions for the members of the club.
July Report - Time for training
Dive Sri Lanka team undergoes DSAT Tec Deep training
With more deep ship wreck discoveries and explorations happening this year the Dive Sri Lanka team moved to get better equipped and trained for the demands of deep dives by undergoing a ten day DSAT Tec Deep course in Thailand. Next season the focus will be to unravel the mysteries of the 65M deep ship wreck in Beruwala and to also explore and videograph/photograph the venerable H.M.S Hermes in more detail.
June Report - Viva Batticaloa!
Return to H.M.S Hermes - Expedition V
At the bow of the Hermes: An enchanted forest of Black Coral
A four inch Anti Air Craft Gun
19/06/09-22/06/09: Expedition V to explore the great H.M.S Hermes is a success! A day of unbelievable visibility of over 40+ meters gives us a unique perspective of the ship as never seen or felt before. The fish life is also profuse. Click here for more information about Expedition V. To read other accounts of Expeditions and related information click here.
New reef dives from Batticaloa and Passikudah
Marakkala Gala
White Rock
Diver Jezeem Jameel reports from Batticaloa and nearby Passikudah and introduces four new reef sites! Click here for more information about Batticaloa and nearby dive sites and brief accounts of reports from Jezeem. These look nice, easy & fun dives with great marine life!
May Report - Seas of freedom
Begning of a new era for Sri Lanka and the East Coast Season
Nostalgia: We yearn for the days of diving in Trincomalee
The call of Hermes: The great ship becons again from Batticaloa
On the 20th of May 2009, the big guns of the Sri Lankan armed forces fired for the last time.
It was a historic moment.
Hope is now in the air for a new era of peace & prosperity for Sri Lanka. A war that had ravaged & cursed the land for 26 years had finally come to an end.
These unprecedented historic events herald a new dawn for our beautiful nation. A dawn, we sincerely hope, will be as brilliant and beautiful as the sun rise in Trincomalee. This is also the dawn of East Coast season and diving there. While there are restrictions for Scuba Diving in Trincomalee (Trinco) you can dive in Batticaloa with Dive SitesLanka (Jayantha: +94777275939) and Sri Lanka Diving Tours (Felician: 94777648459).
Soon, the day will come when all restrictions will be free and we will be bestowed with the seas of freedom..
April Report - Sun sets over the west coast
Tumultuous seas
Awful Viz: The mast appears to hang in thin air (or rather water)
We are engulfed by storms of Rainbowrunners!
26/04/09: The countdown for end of days has begun. Winds of change are sweeping through the west coast ocean. On Sunday we dived the Cargo Wreck. Visibility was 2M at its best. In addition, thermoclines with a sharp contrast of few degrees and arrival of plankton and jellyfish heralded impending transformation. The seas were choppy and there was a steady North-Easterly wind. Despite bad conditions the ship was full of life. On many startling occasions we were engulfed by hundreds of rainbow runners speeding hither and thither searching for prey or perhaps escaping from predators lurking in the murky seas.
Great Basses Trip Report
Pompanos stream into the cave of light
An ancient anchor near the ridge
01/04/09-21/04/09 - Again, divers converged on the magical place off the south east coast of Sri Lanka called the Basses Ridge. At the Great Basses they saw Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, and loads of other reef fish. Only divable during a small window of opportunity between March and April this is one of the best dive sites in Sri Lanka!
There are not many days left for the west coast season. The monsoons seem to be looming over horizon and already the west coast has experienced heavy rains and rough seas. This could be it.
March Report - In the autumn seas of march
Sub Aqua Club dive on Saturday
A large Sting Ray poised for flight...
Long ago... someone used to have dinner here...
28/03/09: On Saturday the members of the Sri Lanka Sub Aqua Club got together for a club dive at the Dehiwela Cargo Wreck. Although the sea was calm a strong North Easterly current prevailed and the visibility was not so great. The large amounts of plankton in the water is clearly a sign that the season is coming to an end but we hope not too soon!
The Sri Lanka Sub Aqua Club based in Colombo is the only active Scuba Diving club in Sri Lanka. For more information click here
20/03/09-21/03/09: What a weekend! Over two days we do a lot and dive at one of the best dive sites in Kalpitiya, the Kalpitiya Ridge and then proceed to explore the pristine Bar Reef Marine Sancturary. During the dives we encounter Napoleon Wrasse, loads of Flower Groupers, large Moray Eels and a Black Tip Reef Shark! On Sunday we head towards the continental shelf in search of Dolphins and observe a pod of about twenty dolphins play and make merry for hours! Kalpitiya is paradise!
We encounter loads of large groupers at the Kalpitiya Ridge.
10/03/09: Far away in deep sea, off the coast of Beruwala we are the first to dive a massive deep wreck. Based on intelligence from the local fishing community and echo location we identify a site and conduct a deep technical decompression dive. The wreck is massive, up right and a magnificent if not fearsome sight to behold in the murky depths of the ocean. The fish life is prolific and we see schools of Trevally, Barracuda and Snappers all over the broken up structure. Await more information as we explore, identify and document this site in the future.
Big Monday! : A traveller arrives
Completely unprepared! - How a Whale Shark looks on Macro
The road to freedom
09/03/09: Of all days we had left one of our video cameras behind. The only other was a camera configured for Macro photography. Little did we suspect that this was going to be a monumental blunder. Here we were, on the boat at the Cargo Wreck and had just concluded a great dive there. We were just relaxing during the one hour surface interval when a pod of about 20 Dolphins suddenly swam by the boat slowly and gracefully! It was an amazing sight. Suddenly the boatman gave a startled yelp and pointed at the water right beside the boat! It was a 20 foot Whale Shark! As we stared in utter disbelief it aligned itself with the boat and started rubbing its massive back on the boat! As soon as we recovered from our state of catatonic immobility; which we previously thought only sharks were capable of; we quickly jumped in with Mask/Fins and swam with the Whale Shark. Slowly it dived to about 6 Meters, turned, and rose again towards the surface and headed straight back back at us and the boat! There it repeated its back rub on the side of the boat and then disappeared to the great depths of the ocean for ever. In the excitement of the moment all we had was one single shot of a Whale Shark caught on a Macro Lens! What an awesome experience!
07/03/09-08/03/09: Suddenly ominous dark coulds began looming; perhaps a sign of impending rain. Much to our disappointment the seas were choppy in contrast to last weeks perfect millpond conditions. However we set course to Taprobane East; a long journey for sure but well worth. The visibility is over 30M+ and there we encounter large schools of fish as usual and also see Giant Stingrays, Eagle Rays and a multitude of other reef fish. During the weekend we also explore the Cargo Wreck and have a fantastic dive yet again.
Our friends the Batfish play with us at the Cargo Wreck
From inside the outside!
February Report - Sites far and deep
A Technical Decompression Dive
Back to the Barge - but this time for longer
An advance party of Lionfish meet us for immigration formalities...
At 45 Meters the Barge is deep. Up to now the single tank dives have given us only about 5 Minutes of bottom time. This time we went twin tank and spent a blissful 25 minutes in this magical paradise. The sea was very calm and there were no currents. The visibility was about 20 Meters and the fish life at the Barge was excellent as usual! How ever we had a price to pay and had to endure a 60 minute decompression sequence to get back to terra firma.
A weekday in Colombo
Large Stingrays in Colombo. Elvis hasn't show up yet for 2009!
Endearing Batfish pose for a photo
We return to the placid ocean for more diving during the week and explore Colombo. At the Cargo Wreck we encounter big Stingrays and friendly Batfish! There is only a slight current and the visibility seems steadily improving and the seas become calmer as the day goes on.
There is no doubt! Negombo has much to offer! We just conclude a fantastic weekend exploring four dive sites. At Ahasyatra Gala we explored the remnants of a World Word War II British fighter aircraft that forms an artificial reef. At Bamba Navaya we swim among loads of "Loud Speaker" corals and observe Anemonefish. During the next day we travel off-shore to explore the pristine reef of Diyamba Gala and encounter amazing amount of fish life. On our way back we stop at Muttiyang Gala and spend time with a Giant Marble Ray! Calm seas and fantastic diving!
And at Muttiyangala we are taken a tour by a huge Marble Ray!
Searching far and deep - ACUSO-C05
Fifteen Kilometers offshore we spend half a day searching for a potential & unidentified ship wreck (ACUSO-C05) using sonar and upon finding a weak signal dive to 60 M for a survey but fail to find anything interesting. Later, we conduct a decompression dive at the 45M Battery Barge. The conditions were perfect with calm seas, zero current and low wind.
Long weekend! - Dives at Taprobane East and Cargo Wreck
At 31 Meters - peace & tranquility...
...interrupted only by a huge swarm that eveloped the ship
Near the shore the seas appeared deceptively calm luring us to a trip far beyond. As we headed to Taprobane East, a strong south easterly wind developed causing heavy swells and rough seas. Despite that we braved a two hour journey and conduct two dives. We were not disappointed. A large school of Batfish showed up (below) and also we see Stingrays, Surgeonfish, Unicornfish, Moray Eels in this far off reef. The next day we aim closer and dive the Cargo Wreck. There is absolutely no current and the ship is covered with a massive swarm of juvenile Barracuda and Cardinalfish reducing the visibility to a near zero! We didn't count; but there would surely have been over ten million fish! (above)
Suddenly a large school of Batfish appeared and then disappeared
An Anemonefish and a Domino damsel standoff in their host
Beruwala & Bentota: Independence Day
Rocky outcrops covered with Black Coral at Hatharagala
Veteran Dive Instructor Felician Fernando opens Sri Lanka Diving Tours dive center in Negombo. On Saturday we explore two brand new dive sites Deranagala and Thanthirigala with Felician. Negombo has some of the best dive sites in Sri Lanka known especially for varied reef fish life. For more information about the new dive center and how you can dive in Negombo check out our Dive Center page.
...and a reef covered with baitfish and juvenile Cardinalfish.
First Glimpse: The Battery Barge
On Sunday we conduct two deep dives to 45 Meters and locate a sunken barge known as the Battery Barge. It is a very small dive site yet abundant with various forms of reef fish life and coral! Undoubtedly this is one of the most scenic dive sites we have seen!
In Focus: Maritime Archeology
Archeologists explore the Bottle Wreck
...and the Copper Wreck
Veteran Marine Archeologist Rasika Muthucumarana writes to us about some very fascinating underwater exploits to reveal the identity and history behind two intriguing ship wrecks at the Basses ridge. Read our special reports on Marine Archeology and the latest findings by Rasika and his team.
Thai Pongal Day - A reef and an oasis
The signature shoal of small barracuda over the reef
A glimpse into a macro world
Thai Pongal is a harvest festival equivalent to a thanksgiving event celebrated by Tamils across the world. Pongal in Tamil means "boiling over or spill over." The act of boiling over of milk in the clay pot is considered to denote future prosperity for the family. Festivities aside, on this day we returned to Barracuda Reef again. The fish life was prolific both pelagic and macro. In a surprising encounter we saw a small shoal of Tuna and also a school of Ember Parrotfish. During our surface interval we happened on a fascinating visitor from seas beyond. A clump of weeds floated our way and we soon discovered it to be a oasis of life full of various types of juvenile fish such as Triggerfish, Filefish, Batfish and Pilot fish. This is a remarkable co-incidence because it was during last years Thai Pongal that we discovered another small oasis of life Balalgala off the Snaper Alley. Lets see what the Thai Pongal next year brings our way!
A juvenile Filefish seeks refuge in a floating clump of weeds
Marine Biologist Nishan Perera among the floating denizens
Ships and Reefs - Sri Lanka Sub Aqua Club Dive
Small Groupers are prolific at the Barracuda Reef
Juvenile Batifish at the Cargo Wreck
In an event organized by the Sri Lanka Sub Aqua Club a group of nine divers explored the ships and reefs of Colombo this weekend. The conditions were much better than last week. The seas were calmer and the visibility had improved from a mere two meters to a average fifteen meters. At the ship wreck we saw the resident yet elusive grouper couple Big G and Mrs. G seeking refuge inside and a plethora of other fish life. At the Barracuda Reef we saw Skates, Angelfish, Small Groupers and loads of Snappers & Fusiliers. What a great weekend!
Welcome 2009 !
In the inaugural dives for January 2009 we explored the Dehiwela Cargo Wreck on Sunday the 4th. The seas were choppy, visibility was very poor and there was some powerful surge. Despite that we penetrated the wreck in new areas and also enjoyed the amazingly prolific fish life.
2008 had been a great year. We wish 2009 will surpass all expectations and provide us with some fantastic adventure dives as we plan to explore new regions and new dive sites!
Year 2008 Report
In 2008 we mounted two expeditions to the the H.M.S Hermes
and also explored the underwater cities of rock at Weligama!
What an incredible year of diving! 2008 was a dream come true. We started the year by exploring a new region in Weligama and its beautiful underwater rock cities. After a hiatus of three years we returned to Negombo and dived the Second Reef and the famous Third Reef. We explored dive sites around Colombo and also visited Bentota, Beruwala, Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna. For the first time we dived the Little Basses light house in Kirinda along with the usual expedition to Great Basses. Perhaps the climax for 2008 was the visit to Batticaloa and the dives at H.M.S Hermes reverberating with the echoes of World War II. We also visited a new wreck in Batticaloa; the boiler wreck for the first time. In the cool and salubrious tropical forests of the mountains, we discovered inland dive sites with remarkable potential for fantastic underwater photo opportunities.
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Welcome to Sri Lanka! The best location in the Indian Ocean to Scuba Dive in the warm tropical seas and wonderful beaches. Sri Lanka offers some great Wreck Diving experiences such as the H.M.S Hermes, SS Rangoon, H.M.S Conch, The Earl Of Shaftsbury, H.M.S Diomede, and some Surat Silver Coin wrecks at the Great Basses & Little Basses Lighthouses off Kirinda and Yala. Sri Lanka offers many courses such as PADI Open Water, Advanced, Rescue, Dive Master but yet to offer NAUI, PSAI, TDI, SDI, Nitrox, Trimix, Heliox, Solo Diving Technical Dive Courses or Liveaboard Diving. Shore diving is a possibility. Sri Lanka also is famous for whale migration, dolphin watching and very occasionally for sightings of Tiger Shark, Black Tip Reef Shark, White Tip Reef Shark, Manta Rays. Reef fish such as Moray Eels, Puffer Fish (Fugu), giant turtle, Lionfish, Snappers, Sweetlips, Trevally, Barracuda, Fusiliers, Anemonefish are very very common. Some dive sites are better than Maldives, The H.M.S Hermes is a fantastic and exciting dive in Batticaloa. The H.M.S Vampire which accompanied the H.M.S Hermes is yet to be found. Surat Silver Coin treasure was found by Sir Arthur C. Clarke and Mike Wilson at the Great Basses Ridge. The coins were minted by Aurenzeb, the son of Shah Jehan who built the Mumtas Mahal (Taj Mahal). There are also wrecks of Japanese Zeros in the China Bay and Marble Beach area. The statue of lord ganesh can be seen at the Swami Rock dive in Trincomalee. pigeon Island in Trincomalee is also famous for great diving and snorkeling. This site features original photos and stock photography of the ocean and the under sea.
Blog about diving in Sri Lanka!