Saturday, 20 November 2010
Whale watching from Marissa
The trip is on today :) We arrive at Marissa Harbour to find the fish market in full swing with everything openly displayed in containers on the dock including Tuna, Barracuda and shark! There is also a distinctly fishy aroma to the area ;) However we are interested in larger prey today…
The boat that we are taken to resembles an old fishing vessel which has been adapted to tourism with three rows of benches bolted to the deck and a fibreglass cover to provide shade (there is even a sit down toilet at the back of the boat in a small fibre glass cubicle) - clearly this is an important industry here. There are 8 of us in total all equipped with cameras, dosed with motion sickness tablets and carrying an enthusiastic smile at 7am… Then it is off into the southern ocean. We head south from Marissa for 2½hrs until we have passed the shipping channels and left site of land well behind over the horizon.
Then we see the first glimpses of spray - plumes of water are being ‘squirted’ into the air and this is visible from ½hr away!! On arrival we find several pairs of blue whales (You can tell from the shape of the back, small dorsal fin and large breathing vents) :) These breathtakingly creatures come along side the boat and glide majestically past with hardly a move of their fins while entertaining us by just breathing - literally blowing out and breathing in while their mighty bulk passes us is enough to have everyone in a tizzy ;) Cameras are out and at every opportunity there is the click of a shutter capturing another moment for posterity. These magnificent creatures are natural wonders of the world and there are few sites so wonderful as seeing a whale prepare to dive by taking in a lungful of air and then raising its fluke (tale fin) out of the water to descend (This is not easy to capture on a phone camera!!)…
Another highlight of the trip :)
The boat that we are taken to resembles an old fishing vessel which has been adapted to tourism with three rows of benches bolted to the deck and a fibreglass cover to provide shade (there is even a sit down toilet at the back of the boat in a small fibre glass cubicle) - clearly this is an important industry here. There are 8 of us in total all equipped with cameras, dosed with motion sickness tablets and carrying an enthusiastic smile at 7am… Then it is off into the southern ocean. We head south from Marissa for 2½hrs until we have passed the shipping channels and left site of land well behind over the horizon.
Then we see the first glimpses of spray - plumes of water are being ‘squirted’ into the air and this is visible from ½hr away!! On arrival we find several pairs of blue whales (You can tell from the shape of the back, small dorsal fin and large breathing vents) :) These breathtakingly creatures come along side the boat and glide majestically past with hardly a move of their fins while entertaining us by just breathing - literally blowing out and breathing in while their mighty bulk passes us is enough to have everyone in a tizzy ;) Cameras are out and at every opportunity there is the click of a shutter capturing another moment for posterity. These magnificent creatures are natural wonders of the world and there are few sites so wonderful as seeing a whale prepare to dive by taking in a lungful of air and then raising its fluke (tale fin) out of the water to descend (This is not easy to capture on a phone camera!!)…
Another highlight of the trip :)
Before going on - a word (rant) concerning the humble mosquito
In Sri Lanka there is an abundance of mosquitoes and it is almost certain that unless you cover yourself in DEET related insect repellent and wear nothing but head to toe garments for your entire trip that you are going to get bitten… The mosquitoes here are fast, landing on any open areas of skin and feasting within seconds - the itch does not start until they leave by which time it is too late (I have only ever caught one in the act and this merely led to me being covered in my own blood at the site of the bite as I slapped it). They are also silent - there is no distinct buzz, which we associate to the slow and cumbersome European mozzie. They are ambush predators, in that they wait until there is an opportunity before biting - usually during a meal, drink or when you are distracted or asleep and have some part of your anatomy against the mozzie net!! And to aid them in this they have a way of camouflaging themselves by putting their legs together and becoming nothing but a tiny line on the wall… Finally their bites are itchy - incredibly itchy, sometimes causing either red blotches or inflamed areas the size of 2p coins or larger, but do not scratch them, instead use antihistamine cream for relief. Remember its warfare and we are on the defensive!! Be warned!
Friday, 19 November 2010
Contemplations from my hammock :)
Day two in Mirissa and the surf boys are out early - the waves are good today and so the western end of the beach is alive with the sights of surf boards being expertly and not so expertly guided on the waves by their riders - I am impressed to see some try for jumps but they always seem to end in a wash out - However, I am tempted to give it a go as you can get 1 hour lessons here for 3000r (about £20).
Water creatures restaurant has quickly become my favourite haunt in Mirissa with its laid back, warm and welcoming staff with good food served all day including Macaroni cheese and local seafood :)
The rest of the day was spent in a hammock on the beach front (now for those unsure of how to use a hammock - sit down roughly half way up the hammock and then turn your body lifting one leg onto the hammock while at the same time holding your body weight and balance with both arms, only then lift the second leg to join it! This should leave you comfortably lying cocooned inside your swaying crib for at least the next afternoon/week/month!!)…
Behind the hotels and their surrounding privacy walls there is another row of hotels (slightly cheaper options as they have no sea view or beachfront but tend to have more room) and the only shops to meet your basic needs such as soap and cheap bottled water… It is worth exploiting these as you can save some money to spend on the arts and crafts stalls selling all things beach related and thus supporting the local small businesses and craftsmen…
The eastern end of the beach turns out to be a little polluted as the current seems to send all the flotsam and jetsam there!! There are also less hotels, although development continues (As i was there a hotel front was in the process of being constructed and many sites behind the hotels were being built or developed). It will not be long before the beach front is covered in hotels or bars… Just around the corner of the beach there is a small fishing bay with both boatmen and pole fishermen, worth a stroll in the strong surf to see.
Other attractions of opportunity include: going to see a snake farm!! Or more tempting going on a whale sighting trip from the harbour… There is a chance of seeing Blue and Sperm Whales as well as dolphins… Will report on this when the trip runs as if numbers are low it does not pay and so is cancelled.
The ‘season’ here begins towards the end of November - so come early November for the bargains and space on the waves to surf freely ;)
Water creatures restaurant has quickly become my favourite haunt in Mirissa with its laid back, warm and welcoming staff with good food served all day including Macaroni cheese and local seafood :)
The rest of the day was spent in a hammock on the beach front (now for those unsure of how to use a hammock - sit down roughly half way up the hammock and then turn your body lifting one leg onto the hammock while at the same time holding your body weight and balance with both arms, only then lift the second leg to join it! This should leave you comfortably lying cocooned inside your swaying crib for at least the next afternoon/week/month!!)…
Behind the hotels and their surrounding privacy walls there is another row of hotels (slightly cheaper options as they have no sea view or beachfront but tend to have more room) and the only shops to meet your basic needs such as soap and cheap bottled water… It is worth exploiting these as you can save some money to spend on the arts and crafts stalls selling all things beach related and thus supporting the local small businesses and craftsmen…
The eastern end of the beach turns out to be a little polluted as the current seems to send all the flotsam and jetsam there!! There are also less hotels, although development continues (As i was there a hotel front was in the process of being constructed and many sites behind the hotels were being built or developed). It will not be long before the beach front is covered in hotels or bars… Just around the corner of the beach there is a small fishing bay with both boatmen and pole fishermen, worth a stroll in the strong surf to see.
Other attractions of opportunity include: going to see a snake farm!! Or more tempting going on a whale sighting trip from the harbour… There is a chance of seeing Blue and Sperm Whales as well as dolphins… Will report on this when the trip runs as if numbers are low it does not pay and so is cancelled.
The ‘season’ here begins towards the end of November - so come early November for the bargains and space on the waves to surf freely ;)
On route to Mirissa we stopped at a roadside cafe... These travel stops offer all you can eat buffets to works of art!! Well in this case we had coke :) The owner proudly displays a large wooden object which looks straight out of the film "Aliens" and explains that it was shaped by the river and he would sell it for 20,000r (£120). Would be a nice centre piece for an office complex but a little large for my rucksack!! Final image is the back of the hotels on the coast giving privacy to guests...
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