There is no wrong way to take a dive vacation. Some divers might want to visit their favorite resort – where the staff feels like family. Some might be slowly working through a checklist of iconic dive sites. Others, may be out to seek adventure in off-the-beaten-path dive destinations. I fall into this last category, and jumped at the chance to lead a Bluewater Photo workshop diving the wrecks of Sri Lanka.
The majority of the shipwrecks are located on Sri Lanka’s west coast near the capital of Colombo, which also happens to be a major shipping port. The allure of these shipwrecks is twofold. First, each wreck has a unique history. This might involve the torpedoes of war, rough weather that’s so frequent off the coast of Sri Lanka, or even mysterious scuttling events. Second, these massive metal structures create the perfect home for marine life, with hulls and wheelhouses plastered in sponges and corals that explode in color when illuminated with a dive light. Large schools of fish congregate around the wrecks, slowly drifting in lines of rush-hour traffic through each other until spooked by the occasional passing trevally, then slowly drifting back into one school.
The shipwrecks of Sri Lanka are generally deep, so advancing dive certification is required. Divers should be comfortable ascending and descending mooring lines in current. We experienced fantastic visibility, however this isn’t always a guarantee. The ingredients for dive adventure are there, waiting for scuba divers who are ready to mix it up in a new location!
~ Brent Durand
