End of journey

Migrating over thousands of kilometers but returning to the same nesting beaches to lay their eggs, sea turtles are some of the great travelers in the animal kingdom. Considering their extremely long lifespan an adult turtle is likely to have journeyed across several oceans, visiting the waters of numerous countries through its lifetime. But all great journeys come to an end, and this ancient mariner finally came to rest on a sandy plain next to a wreck in Colombo. The final destination on a great voyage. Its bleached shell and bones the only testament to decades of ocean wandering. RIP weary traveler.

Rush Hour!

Its a Sunday morning and Colombo is relatively quite as I head down to the beach for my weekend diving. Out at sea, a stiff current is running north and schooling fish are congregating around reefs and wrecks. some seeking shelter from the currents, others looking to feed on plankton in the passing water column, and a few others looking to turn some of the smaller fish into their Sunday brunch. At Barracuda reef a school of fusiliers appears out of nowhere and stream pass us like rush hour traffic on a freeway, traveling south to some unknown destination. The fish have passed us almost as fast as they appeared but I was able to catch a few frames before they disappear into the blue. Down on the reef, there are no weekends as fish and other reef dwellers continue the eternal fight for survival.

Anguru Newa

The newest ship on the growing list of wreck dives around Colombo. After stories from fishermen and inaccurate coordinates the ship was finally dived in late January by Dharshana Jayawarden who posted a report on DiveSriLanka, and in February I had a chance to check it out myself. While not as visually appealing or awe inspiring as the popular Cargo Wreck or Medhufaru wreck in Colombo this is a fun dive in its own right. The ship is broken into two pieces with the stern and bow lying about 40m away from each other. But the intact sections provide a haven for marine life with schooling snappers, large porcupinefish, angelfish, sweetlips and a variety of other reef dwellers. Black corals adorn the sides of the ship and thousands of anthias and damselfish swarm around the top like butterflies. With a maximum depth of 26m this is an easy relaxed dive with plenty of photo opportunities.

A walk in the park

Jezeem joins the resident bannerfish for a Sunday afternoon stroll around the Medhufaru wreck off Ratmalana.

Gorgonian Garden

Off the coast of Colombo, Gorgonian Garden is one of our favorite dive sites. A garden of sea fans at a depth of around 35m creating a fantasy world of reds, yellows and oranges framed against the blue water. Sea fans are not uncommon on other dive sites around Sri Lanka but we have never come across such a dense aggregation of healthy fans. Some as large as a diver stand tall over the flat seabed, often with several feather stars sitting on top of them to find a good vantage point to catch passing plankton. Large sea fans tend to grow in areas subject to strong currents and this site is no exception. The local fishermen call the reef "Hulang Paraya" or windy reef due to its exposed location, and strong currents tend to sweep the reef on most days. However on our last dive we have near perfect conditions with flat seas, light currents and visibility of 20-25m.  The good conditions are ideal for exploring the reef and we chance upon a large coral head teeming with fish, an action packed oasis of life within the silent and serene world of sea fans.

Medhufaru

In February we dive the wreck of 'Medhufaru', a Maldivian ship sunk off Mt. Lavinia in 2009. In less than two years the wreck has become an oasis for marine life. Thousands of fusiliers school around the wreck while colorful reef fish swim around like marine butterflies. In its death, the ship has given life to the ocean. What was once a symbol of industry and engineering is now a piece of living art, providing sustenance to fishermen and enjoyment to divers. 

Worm dance

Polyclad flatworms closely resemble nudibranchs in external appearance. The main distinguishing characteristic is the absence of external gills that are found on nudibranchs. This species is known for its free swimming behavior that makes it appear as if it is dancing in the water. It will actively swim in the water column to move from part of the reef to another. The worm dance may be a popular break dance move but flatworms give it a whole new meaning!

Angelface

Close up of a semicircle angelfish (Pomacanthus semicirculatus). This species is common on coral and rocky reefs in Sri Lanka, being most common on reefs with ledges and caves, as well as shipwrecks. Large angelfish are territorial, and males tend to defend a harem of several females. They are capable of making a loud clicking or thudding noise with their swimbladders and it is not uncommon for divers to hear this if a large angelfish is disturbed. Angelfish posses a cheek spine, as is visible in this photograph. This is the main distinguishing characteristic between angelfish and the closely related butterflyfish that do not posses such a spine.

Back to Cargo Wreck

We never get enough of the Cargo Wreck. Just 20 minutes boat ride away its got to be one of the best wreck dives in Sri Lanka. Whether you are a tech diver looking for a wreck to penetrate or just a casual diver looking for a fish filled dive the Cargo Wreck ticks all the boxes. With everything from resident pipefish and marble rays to visiting eagle rays and tuna there is something to see no matter what the sea conditions or visibility is like. After hundreds of dives here I'm still not tired. In fact, the more you get to know the wreck the more enjoyable it seems to become.

Goatfish Pyramid

Yellow striped goatfish are common, nocturnally active reef fishes found on many Indo-Pacific reefs. During the day they tend to form small schools, sheltering among reefs and wrecks before dispersing across reef flats at night in search of invertebrates. At times they may form large mixed species schools that include similarly patterned blue striped snappers. This small group formed a loose pyramid, creating a sharp contrast against the deep blue waters and providing a great photo opportunity.

Where angels dwell

The ancient Greeks referred to Sri Lanka as Taprobane, meaning "garden of delights". Lying on white coral sand on the edge of Taprobane East reef this small wreck is a veritable garden of delights covered in soft corals. The wreck is also home to a multitude of fish life from thousands of glassfish that shelter among the tangled metal to schooling snappers, angelfish, butterflyfish, groupers and even a large humphead wrasse. Far from the shores of Colombo, clear water is the norm here with average visibility around 25m during the calm season. If angels lived underwater they would surely call this home. Maybe the mermaids do..............

Batman returns

A common inhabitant of reefs and wrecks, batfish often hang out in small groups, although large schools numbering in the hundreds can also be found. Most batfish can be seen swimming above open bottom and this species, the longfin batfish (Platax teira) is often found on wrecks and clear water reefs in Sri Lanka. They usually feed on small invertebrates such as juvenile shrimps and zooplankton.

Macro magic: colorful, curious critters

Overlooked, ignored and unappreciated its the small critters that actually make a coral reef tick. More abundant than many other species, cryptic fish such as gobies, blennies and sandperches scurry around the seafloor in their daily routines completely ignored by most divers. Small invertebrates such as nudibranchs are also among the most colorful reef species despite their small size. To really appreciate a coral reef you need to get up close and personal with its smaller residents. So the next time your diving, stop, look and meet all the neighbors!

West Coast season begins

The sea is calm and the monsoon winds have abated. We visit the Cargo Wreck off Dehiwela and meet many familiar friends including the pixy hawkfish that scurry about the top of the wreck. Visibility is only around 10m but the sea is full of life. Hopefully it is the start of a productive new dive season on the west coast.

Damsels of darkness

Like the colorful damselfishes that bring life to a tropical reef during the day, cardinalfishes take over the night shift, emerging from their daytime shelters to hunt for small invertebrates. They may not look like it but they are truly the damsels of the night.

An eternal autumn

Like trees with colorful leaves of change in autumn, soft corals can create colorful underwater vistas in tropical seas. But despite their beauty, soft corals may sometimes indicate a turbulent past in a reef ecosystem. Soft corals are successful colonizers and are often among the first species to appear on damaged reefs. Several areas in the Indo-Pacific have seen an increase in soft corals since a major coral bleaching event destroyed many of the hard corals that dominated shallow coral reefs. Similarly, they often dominate reefs that have been subjected to dynamite fishing in the past.

Fantasy wreck

In search of the Battery Barge

After a one hour boat ride we scan the seabed with an echo sounder but cannot find anything except an empty expanse of sand. We have nothing but an obscure GPS point obtained from a fisherman. We drop anchor and after some time it snags on something. Its either the wreck we are looking for or a deep reef. Trusting our instincts we enter the water and descend in a heavy current. It takes nearly 8 minutes to reach the bottom 45 meters below the surface, but finally, in front of us is a small wreck sitting upright on a sandy floor. This is the Battery Barge. Known only to a few and the reason for our curiosity. Time is limited. We have only 5 minutes on the wreck as we have not planned for long decompression stops. The objective is to confirm the presence of the wreck and evaluate its potential for future photography and exploration. At this depth and fighting against the stiff current we feel the effect of nitrogen narcosis. Simple tasks such as focusing the camera and adjusting a strobe take more effort and concentration than usual. 

The wreck is broken into two parts. Its entire length covered in colourful soft coral and sea fans. Black coral bushes sway in the current as cardinalfish dart among the corals. A few small groupers are on the hunt and four large lionfish hover motionless in an attempt to ambush an unwary fish. All around, a school of snappers zig zag the wreck like rush hour traffic. Despite its small size the barge is an oasis of life in a vast sandy desert. If only we had a bit more time.............

The sand people

Sandperches are small benthic fishes found on reefs and adjoining sandy areas. They are territorial fishes and feed on small invertebrates and fishes. Males often maintain a harem of several females. Sandperches are extremely common but are often overlooked due to their small size and cryptic behaviour. This one was photographed at Degalmeda reef off Mt. Lavinia, Sri Lanka.

Boat ride in Graceland

Just off the coast of  Colombo the intact wreck of a cargo ship is home to a large and friendly marble ray nicknamed 'Elvis'. In recent times its been seen together with another large ray who predictably earned the name 'Priscilla'. At a maximum depth of 32m this is one of the best wreck dives in Sri Lanka. Easy penetration, colorful corals and abundant fish life mean there is always something to see and explore. Everything from damselfish and electric rays to eagle rays, dolphins and even whales have been seen in the area. I found this lifeboat resting on the sand particularly interesting. A means of escape and symbol of hope on a sinking ship now resting on the seabed and sustaining the lives of marine animals.