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Into the deep It can be a
fascinating experience. "Diving is suitable for people of any
age - children, adults and particularly those in wheelchairs,"
says space prophet Sir Arthur C. Clarke, a pioneer of underwater
tourism in the world. Confined to his wheelchair with Post-Polio
Syndrome since 1984, he however still manages to occasionally indulge
in his passion for diving which was what initially brought him to
the island. He went diving
a year ago with his long-time friend Hector Ekanayake. Once on a
bench in the boat, he rolls himself into the water with all the
equipment. It is when he comes up that he requires most assistance.
Hector has now constructed a massive wheelchair with balloon tyres
which should allow Sir Arthur to visit beaches which have been out
of bounds for too long. Having initially
come to Sri Lanka for diving operations in 1954-56, this celebrated
science fiction writer, now 84-years-old has undertaken several
underwater expeditions in the crystal clear waters of the Indian
Ocean that surround his adopted home. Battling time
and weather, he and his team discovered wrecks, riches and equally
precious knowledge of the past such as the old spice route to India,
their findings based on recovered treasure from the sea. Way back then,
Sir Arthur had predicted that underwater tourism was going to be
a profitable business in tropical countries.
Treasure
aside, the ocean is a wonderful world, home to numerous sea creatures,
plants and animals, their vivid colours far more brilliant than
those on land. Schools of coloured fish, coral formations of different
colours, shapes and sizes, 20 feet long whale sharks that are completely
harmless form part of this colourful world. Seeing all these in
their original habitat can be an awesome experience. "People
think that diving is difficult. However, it is one of the easiest
sports to learn, simpler than cycling," says Hector Ekanayake,
a master scuba diver trainer and also Chairman and Managing Director
of Underwater Safaris Ltd., explaining that all it requires is for
a person to be able to swim at least three lengths at a stretch
and learn to breathe through the mouth, the compressed air from
the 'Aqualung' cylinder. "Everyone
should learn diving. It is a fun sport that can make you feel comfortable
and relaxed as it makes you feel weightless. Once you have dived,
you would want to repeat the experience," Hector says. The oldest
diver in the country, Hector has been diving with Sir Arthur over
the past four decades although he was initially trained in underwater
cutting and welding. Many divers
are drawn like Sir Arthur, to the ship wrecks off Sri Lanka's coast.
Twelve miles off Batticaloa, at a depth of 200 feet lies the Hermes,
the English aircraft carrier that was sunk by the Japanese. There
is also a sunken dock in Trincomalee, the result of an accidental
pressing of a button. Other wrecks are found at Akurana and Madagala
and a relatively new wreck in the Galle area. Off the coast
of Kirinde is a line of submerged rocks, Great Basses (Great Reef)
and its sister reef, Little Basses that according to Sir Arthur
"might have been specially designed to snare ships that pass
the southern coast" . Being one of the main trade routes of
the oriental world, ships of any size, passing that way had to contend
with it.
The
twin reefs have caused many wrecks for at least 3000 years, one
of which contained valuable treasures found by Sir Arthur and his
team in 1961. His book "Treasures of the Great Reef" tells
the true story of that unique and perilous treasure hunt. The ocean is
yet another ecosystem facing severe environmental problems. "Pollution,
coral mining, removal of sand and dynamite fishing are destroying
our coastline," says Sir Arthur who has contributed a lot towards
saving the sea during the past 40 years. Although a part of the
coral mining has stopped, it still goes on. Sir Arthur also spoke
of the sea being used as a garbage dump that has destroyed not only
fish but other life forms as well. A major change that Sir Arthur
has noticed over the past 40 years is the large numbers of Crown
of Thorn starfish. "They are all over the place eating up all
the coral." Underwater
Safaris has been involved in beach cleanup activities at the request
of the US-based Center for Marine Conservation which organises similar
programmes worldwide. "Dynamiting
also scares divers away besides destroying the eggs, fish and coral,"
adds Hector. Coral reefs form a natural barrier and help purify
the water. They are being constantly broken down for use as limestone
for building. When coral are destroyed, the water turns murky. Tropical fish
collectors also pose problems, with exotic species such as the Emperor
Fish being sold for $ 125 a piece. Despite being illegal, the killing
of dolphins also goes on with fishermen cutting them up on the beach,
leaving the waste on the sand. Appropriate
action is not taken by authorities against such illegal activities
as the laws are lax. "We could improve tourism and make more
money from international tourists should the concerned authorities
lay restrictions. There is no confiscation or prosecution here,"
says Hector. Among the famous
who have dived with Underwater Safaris are the second Man on the
Moon - Buzz Aldrin and the Apollo 12 astronauts - Al Bean, Pete
Conrad, Dick Gordon. Registered in 1986, the PADI Underwater Safaris Ltd., conducts diving classes for both beginners and advanced levels, as well as recreational diving sessions at Hikkaduwa. Diving in Trincomalee and Colombo is currently on hold due to security reasons. Other organisations that offer diving along the south coast are Confifi Marina, Poseidon Divers and Ypslon Divers. Wonderful
sounds of silence
"With 3/4ths of the land surface being water there are many
more places to see underwater than on land," says Kishan Perera,
an accountant who since 1998 has participated in over 25 dives in
Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bali. "As you descend, you notice that
each place has a different effect and marine formation depending
on the geographical location."
"It is a nice change being in the water, away from everyday
life and the loud, often irritating sounds.
As you enter the water all sounds around you change, colours change
at each level as the sun's rays cannot penetrate to all levels."
Water temperature in tropical Sri Lanka is around 25-29 degrees.
However as you go deeper, around 40 metres, you get a thermocline,
when all of a sudden the water temperature drops drastically. At
that point it would be better for a diver to ascend unless he is
wearing a protective wet suit. Kishan feels that the coral formations in the east coast of Sri Lanka are better than in other parts of the country as they have not been tampered with. Kishan who has come across reef sharks and hammerhead sharks says they only attack when provoked. The dangerous white sharks are found more in the cooler waters around South Africa and Australia and not in this part of the world. Kishan has come across many dolphins and whale sharks around Trincomalee from where whale migrations can be seen during August and September, just 15 minutes away from the shore. Taking
an underwater safari
Diving classes consist of lectures, video demonstrations and practical
sessions at the Colombo Swimming Club before going to sea. Facilities
are also available for wheelchair divers.
The duration of the classes is 4-10 days, depending on how fast
a student learns. On completion a student is awarded international
certification.
Visitors can learn the basics of snorkeling and scuba diving or
join a Scuba ( Self-contained under water breathing apparatus) tour
to view the wrecks, fish or reefs.
More affordable are the resort diving classes with an introductory
session where you are taught the breathing techniques at a pool
and later taken on a dive in the sea, accompanied by the instructor.
If you have decided to dive, here's the routine: Once you enrol
for diving you arrive at the diving counter at Hikkaduwa and then
select the equipment. Fins, mask, etc., should fit you to perfection
for maximum comfort. You then get on a boat, carrying the aqualung
cylinders, that takes you to the diving site. This could be six-eight
miles offshore and the journey would take around an hour.
When you reach the spot, the anchor is dropped and checked for firmness.
The ladder is then fixed for use when coming out of the water. Oxygen
is also kept in the boat for first aid. Before entering the water,
each diver has to check the equipment of the other diver and vice
versa.
Normal entry into the water is backward but new divers are encouraged
to hold the anchor rope and go down. At this point there may be
a slight pain in the ear which can be eased by equalizing the pressure
in the ear, by holding the nose. In the water, divers are in a state
of neutral buoyancy that allows them to stay suspended without sinking.
Divers are then free to explore on their own but need to keep in
sight of the group, while at the same time following the rules.
When the aqualung gauge shows 500 pounds of air, it would mean that
a diver needs to come up. Holding the anchor rope he/she comes up
to the boat, removes all equipment, hands it to the boatman and
then climbs on board using the ladder. Focus is also laid during training on how to escape from danger, which could occur in any form - malfunction of equipment or dangerous fish like the Great White Shark that attacks anything in sight. A diver is required to keep three feet away from the seabed where the camouflaged stone fish lie, and the six-feet moray eels that sting when teased. "Once a diver knows what he/she cannot mess around with, there is no other danger lurking," says Hector. |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
the
treasures of the sea can be experienced firsthand in many spots
around Sri Lanka. 
