Updates

Hikkaduwa reef clean-up

International Diving School facilitated the reef cleanup program initiated by Sri Lanka Sub Aqua Club and IUCN (World Conservation Union) with the help of volunteers. The main purpose was to remove the fishing nets entangled on the reef. This exercise was rather difficult due to the prevailing rough sea condition, however Somey and Marten Meynell of IUCN, both past commercial divers, managed to cut one fishing net and float it using make-shift airbags, and snorkelers removed it to the boat. The debris scattered in the shallow water was also removed by volunteers, and disposed.

29th January 2005

We started back our operations today. The hotel is re-building the diving center, so we were given a room to operate for the time being. Filling the tanks is done at Somey’s home. Not having sufficient diving gear is the problem, but we can manage. Some of our guests were kind enough to donate some used equipment, and some left their own diving gear for us to use for the time being. Not many divers, but we need to keep things going.

We’d like to thank every one who helped us during these days. So sorry if we could not write to any of you individually, or respond to your e-mails, but we will always remember how our dear customers and friends were with us during the worst disaster our country had experienced.

We appreciate the help and assistance given to the people in Sri Lanka in the time of need.<

05th January 2005

We dived in Godagala, Coral Garden Cave and Hikkaduwa Gala. The tsunami has not caused any damage to any of the dive sites.

02nd January 2005

Today, Somey snorkeled around the coral reef. No damage done to the corals, except a lot of debris scattered in the area. Fishing nets were entangled in corals, so they need to be removed carefully.

30th December 2004

We started to salvage whatever was there at the diving center, though not much was left.

28th December 2004

Today Somey managed to get down some diesel for his van through a friend, and took the remaining foreigners who stayed at his house to the airport. Additional flights had been deployed to evacuate foreign tourists out of the country.

Purchased food and vegetables from Colombo. We were sick of eating rice and dhal for 3 days, as nothing was available in Hikkaduwa.

27th December 2004

People are still in a state of a shock. Our phones are not working and there is no electricity. Worse than that, there is no place where we can purchase food and vegetables. Guests staying at Somey’s house are getting impatient, as they have to get back to their countries. Some left for Colombo. The main road from the south to the capital Colombo, along the coast is not motorable, so in land routes have to be used. Pumping fuel to vehicles, is yet another problem.

osseg
June 29, 2018October 28, 2018

The day of the Tsunami

26th December 2004 – The day of the Tsunami

This was the day that disaster struck not only International Diving School, but the whole country.

The day dawned just like any other Sunday, with a bright sky and a calm and clear sea. Previous night’s Christmas celebrations were still in the air. We had about 30 guests,

both foreign and local. The two asst. instructors, Dharshana and Ishan were planning to take one group to Kirala Gala and the others to the Conch wreck. By 9 o’clock, everybody started getting ready, preparing their equipment, and were to set off by 9.30. By 9.15, our boss, Somey noticed something unusual about the sea, as the sea level seemed to have risen. There were some children playing on the beach, and Somey shouted his boys to go and bring them up. The sea level was actually rising, and waves were crashing closer and closer towards the diving center. As the first wave rolled inside the center, some started picking up the equipment on the floor and keeping them on racks to prevent them being washed away, but no way, the second wave came instantly, and before anyone could recover themselves in the knee deep water, the third wave crashed in pushing everyone further inside the diving center. Whoever was there, had to swim out and run for their lives, through the Hotel, across the road, and further inside the village. The whole thing took less than a minute.

When the sea receded, the diving center crew and a few guests who dared, returned to the scene. Luckily, no one among us was missing, except for a few who were injured in the rush. The diving center was in shambles, its roof collapsed in, and pieces scattered everywhere, most equipment washed away and some buried underneath the debris.

What was most astonishing, was the sea. It had retreated further away from the shore about half a kilometer, a sight no Sri Lankan had experienced earlier. The reef, which was about 30 meters away from the beach, was now fully visible. One could see a white smoke rising from the coral reef. Akim, one of our German guests, sensed that something was wrong, and climbed up the hotel balcony and gave us a warning, it might come back. His prediction was correct. In about a half an hour, we could see a thirty foot high, massive black wave rolling towards the shore. Again, everybody bolted.

Once the waves receded after causing a bigger damage, the boats which were inside the Hikkaduwa fishing harbour were seen on top of the reef, in front of the hotel. By now, no one knew what to do exactly, except to flee at the sight of the next wave. The third and the final wave hit Hikkaduwa by around 11.30 a.m. causing the biggest damage. It took the fishing boats which were on the reef, further inside and most ended up in front of the hotels, some on the road, and a few were carried past the railway track, which is located some 50 meters away from the main road.

As the day passed, both foreign tourists and residents in the area who lost their homes, still not recovered from the shock, gathered in the village temple or nearby houses to spend the night. Villagers brought food and clothing to the stranded people. Somay gave shelter to about 30 guests in his house. It is unlikely that anyone in Hikkaduwa had any sleep that night, as most were expecting another tsunami. Thus ended the day, which Sri Lanka faced her biggest natural disaster, that claimed more than 30,000 lives throughout the country, and left over a million homeless.

osseg
May 28, 2018October 28, 2018

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Our well trained and experienced staff use the latest equipment to make your diving experience a good one. The director R.K Somadasa de Silva (or Somey as he is commonly known) is well reputed in the region as a commercial and professional diver. He has over 30 years of experience in the diving industry and is qualified both as a UDI/CMAS instructor and a PADI assistant instructor, with more than 500 foreign students to his credit and innumerable local divers. In addition to teaching, Somey is qualified as a commercial diver and has worked on a number of underwater construction projects, both for private and government institutions. The school is now managed by Somey's beloved son Sachin (Another great diver of course!) who has great implemented plans to improve your diving experience.

Obviously Somey is not the only member of staff. The two divemasters, Ishan and Dharshana, are both PADI assistant instructors and have many thousands of dives in their logbooks, having been diving here for over 10 years. Our chief boatman, Sarath, is both certified by the Sri Lanka Port Authority and very experienced on the open seas (we swear he uses natural GPS!). As well as these friendly and experienced fellows we have a number of other dive guides and boatmen, all keen to help you enjoy your dives.

As a family run operation, the International Diving School is well known for its welcoming nature and many of our customers return time after time, becoming friends within a few dives. So come diving with Somey and the team at the International Diving School, Hikkaduwa and prepare to dive here again and again.

Call: +94717251024 +94765396331