Whale and Dolphin watching in Sri Lanka

             Whale and Dolphin watching in Sri Lanka


          


Sri Lanka is becoming a major spot for watching Whales and Dolphins. Sri Lankais situated within international whaling commission's protected zone in Indian Ocean. West coast in locations from Alankuda beach in Kalpitiya, Mirissa or Dondra Point of down south, east coast of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka is the main ports of Whale and Dolphin watching in Sri Lanka. Whale and dolphin sightings are additionally available in the western coastal cities of Alutgama, Ambalangoda and Hikkaduwa.

A high concentration of blue whales and sperm whales has been spotted in the seas off Dondra Head along the deep south coast of Sri Lanka during the months of January to April. Alankuda beach in Kalpitiya is the best places if you are interested in seeing dolphins. During November to March is the best season to go Dolphin Watching off Kalpitiya. Whale and Dolphin watching is also possible during June to September off the eastern shores such as Trincomalee .

Migration Path of Whales

Whales like deep waters. Whales communicate with sound. They use long songs and clicks and noise from ship propellers create a lot of background noise that could disrupt their communication.

Off Dondra Head or Mirissa the continental shelf narrows sharply. Marine biologist Anderson believes some of the blue whales off Dondra Head could be resident whales while others could be migratory ones crossing over to the Arabian Sea from the Bay of Bengal. He suspected that in January they would be passing Sri Lanka on the way to Bay of Bengal and in April they will be passing Sri Lanka again down the south coast passing Maldives to the Arabian Sea.

Commercial whale watching in Sri Lanka was first mooted in the 1980s following documentation of whale sightings in theTrincomalee bay by marine biologists of the research vessel The Tulip. They found out that blue whales and sperm whales were coming into the Trincomalee harbour using a submarine canyon. Whales of Trincomalee had also featured in the award winning film "Whales weep not", the first underwater filming of Sperm whales in their natural habitat. Though Trincomalee was earlier tipped to be a whale watching hot spot, security restrictions had shelved projects to develop whale watching in the area.

The Voyage of Odyssey, the second research vessel to do research on marine life off Sri Lanka's southern coast in 2003, had also documented whale sightings."To see a Blue whale at sea is something most of us can only dream about. To see more than one in a lifetime is a rarity reserved for a fortunate few," Genevieve Johnson, a research crew member, was quoted as saying in one of the reports in 2003.

Whale Watching in Sri Lanka

Recent sightings of whales in the southern seas were reported by a group called the Mirissa Water Sports, funded by the firm Loadstar. They have been documenting whale sightings since April 2006. It is these sightings that had confirmed Marine biologist Anderson's theory of whale migration around Sri Lanka during January and April. Increased sightings of both blue whales and sperm whales off the southern coast have now opened up a window of opportunity for whale watching tourism in the island's Deep South. With infrastructure and vital data at hand whale watching tourism is gathering momentum in the south. According to marine biologists, the deep sea off Dondra Head is one of the best locations to watch whales in Sri Lanka because of its close proximity to the coast.

Whale and Dolphin watching in Mirissa

Whale & Dolphin Watching - We regularly see large pods of dolphins and, in the migration season, blue whales can be found just a few miles offshore.

We are practices Whale and Dolphin conservation society code of conduct for Whale & Dolphin watching. It is help Sri Lanka to develop Whale & Dolphin watching in a responsible way which ensures the welfare of the Whales & Dolphins.

Dolphin and Whale watching session is month of November to month of April in down south. Morning session will be start at 6.30hrs, please report to Mirissa fisheries harbor by 6.00 am with passports numbers. Normally total trip duration is 3.5 hours or 4 hours, it will depend on sea condition. Boat has roof, seats, and toilet facilities.

Boats have life raft, life jacket, life rings and communication equipments Boat captain and crew have professional qualifications and more than four years of experience in sailing. Our boats are specially design for tourism and it only use for tourist purpose. Boats are registered as ships under (under Sri Lanka flag) Ministry of Ports and Aviation. (Merchant Shipping Division) Passengers are on the boat insured by Sri Lanka insurance cooperation. During the Whale watching trip we will provide mineral water and snack.

We do not guarantee 100% about sighting of Dolphins & Whales; our guaranteed rate is 90%. If there will be no sighting of Dolphin or Whales no refund will be made. Average time’s duration will be four hours and trip will start at 6.30 am from Mirissa fishery harbour.

Other Activities

Sports Fishing - The continental shelf drop off lies less than 8 miles off the coast of Mirissa where tuna, sailfish and other large game fish can be found. Our boat, The Spirit of Dondra, is a 54 foot Indonesian fishing trawler, fully equipped and adapted for sports fishing including modern satellite navigation, fish finding equipment and a toilet. Ideal times for sports fishing are 6am-12pm and 3 to 6.30 pm. 2 rods.

Coastal Cruises - The Spirit of Dondra can also be hired for cruising, anchoring at bays for swimming, snorkelling & picnics or just sight-seeing. The coastline around Mirissa is noted for its wonderfully unspoilt coconut fringed beaches and coves. Minimum hire is 2 hours. Maximum 12 people.

Bay Cruises - Weligama Bay is an ideal cruising ground with lovely beaches protected by a coral reef. Our 24 foot cruising boats are traditional Maldivian sailing dhonis with fully trained crew of two. Anchoring for a snorkel, swim and/or picnic can be arranged. The boat can be hired for a full day to explore the bay or for a romantic sunset sail at dusk. Sailing lessons can also be arranged. Maximum 4 people.

Snorkelling Safaris – Our crew will accompany you by boat to find the best snorkelling spots in the bay where you can see beautiful reef fish, corals and even the occasional turtle and basking shark. Snorkelling equipment provided. Minimum 2 hours. Maximum 4 people.

River & Mangrove Trips - The Polwatta Ganga is an exceptionally peaceful river, famous for its coconuts, wildlife and unspoilt mangrove swamps. Here we regularly see fish eagles, leaf monkeys, monitor lizards and occasionally crocodiles basking on the banks. Best times for Bird Watching are dawn and dusk. Minimum hire time 2 hours. Maximum 6 people.

Sea Kayaking - Available for hire to explore the shoreline of the bay whether alone or with a friend. Maximum 2 people.

Whale and Dolphin Watching in Sri Lanka Highlights Blue Whale The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. At up to 32.9 meters (108 ft) in length and 172 metric tons (190 short tons) or more in weight, it is the largest animal ever known to have existed. Brydes Whales Brydes Whales are small by rorqual standards no more than about 25 tonnes prefer tropical and temperate waters to the polar seas that other whales in their family frequent; are largely coastal rather than pelagic, and although they retain the characteristic plates of whalebone that the baleen whales use to sieve small creatures from the waters with, their diet is composed almost entirely of fish. Sperm Whale The sperm whale is a species of marine mammal, a toothed whale with the largest brain of any animal. The whale was named after the milky-white waxy substance, spermaceti, found in its head and originally mistaken for sperm. The sperm whale is the only member of the genus Physeter. It is one of three living species in the sperm whale super family, the others being the Pygmy Sperm Whale and Dwarf Sperm Whale. Fin Whale The Finback Whale (Balaenoptera physalus), also called the Fin Whale, Razorback, or Common Rorqual, is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. It is the second largest whale and the second largest living animal after the Blue Whale, growing to nearly 27 meters (88 ft) long. Killer Whale The killer whale or blackfish is the largest species of the dolphin family. It is found in all the world's oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to warm, tropical seas. Some killer whale populations feed mostly on fish while others hunt sharks and marine mammals, including sea lions, seals, walruses and even large whales. Bottlenose dolphin Bottlenose dolphins live in groups called pods that typically number about 15 dolphins, but group size varies from solitary bottlenose dolphins up to groups of over 100 or even occasionally over 1000 animals. Bottlenose dolphins, the genus tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), where previous thought was that this was one species. Spotted Dolphin The Spotted Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) is a species of dolphin found in all the world's temperate and tropical oceans. The species was beginning to come under threat due to the killing of millions of individuals in tuna purse seines. The 1980s saw the rise of "dolphin-friendly" tuna capture methods in order to save millions of the species in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Striped Dolphin The Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) is an extensively studied dolphin that is found in temperate and tropical waters of all the world's oceans. Spinner Dolphin The Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) is a small dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world. It is famous for its acrobatic displays in which they will spin longitudinally along their axis as they leap through the air. Fraser's Dolphin Fraser's Dolphin or Sarawak Dolphin found in deep waters in the Pacific Ocean and to a lesser extent in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Risso's Dolphin Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) is the only species of dolphin in the genus Grampus. Risso's dolphins are usually dark gray with extensive white scarring. The scars can be scratches, splotches, or circular marks and, in some animals, can be so extensive that the entire body appears to be white.