Arriving in Mirissa, a short tuk tuk ride from Weligama, I immediately noticed more white faces and a busier main road. There also seemed to be far more hotels and guesthouses scattered around and the beach is very nice, which made me wonder whether I had been hanging in the wrong place. But I came to surf and to start out, Weligama is a kinder break than the ones in Mirissa. In the latter town, the bay more to the west is rocky and has a fair amount of sea urchins, especially at mid and low tide. The larger bay to the east is a great break for improvers. I really like it. The waves don’t close out as fast and as powerful as in Weligma, which gives you more time to pop up and do whatever manoeuvre, but one needs a lot of paddle power to get to and from the line-up. I moved to Mirrissa to have a change of scenery and to be closer to the whale watching tours ,that leave from the town’s harbour. There are plenty of operators and at a boat party I met a cool Finnish young woman, who recommended Raja and the Whales, so I made a booking with that crew.
What’s in a Sea Mammal Show
Animal tourism can be a bit of a circus and I am not really a fan. On the Rock of Malta, where I used to live for 3 years, one can swim with dolphins and all I think is; leave those poor animals be. I ‘swam’ with whale sharks in the Philippines last year. At the particular place I went to with the Magnificent 7, the idea was to arrive before dawn and although you have to take some precautions, like you can’t wear sunscreen- not that this Dark Fairy is using any- you can’t use flash photography, you have to keep a distance of at least a few metres and you’re not allowed to touch them, it was a zoo nevertheless. There are hundred and something, if not more people lining the shore to get into boats. The boats go out about 200 metres from the shore where the whale sharks are being lured with food. Once they come close we can jump into the water. Then it’s the whale shark, that probably forgot how to feed itself, you, and 20 other people you share the boat with, in the water all wanting to take selfies or something else rather vain. Surely that shit must stress those animals out. So, animal tourism? Not a great fan. Operator Raja is known for its conservationist values. It treats the animals with respect, by keeping the boats at a safe distance and not sailing in the whale’s path.
Whale-Mad Sailors
The Raja crew are amazing and very keen to share their passion for sea mammals with the tour guests. In addition to that, you get fed throughout your stay on board. You get on the boat at around 6.30 to sail out at 7. I have understood, that everyday is different and sometimes they find dolphins and/ or whales after 30 minutes, sometimes it takes several hours. We sailed out about 10 to 15 kilometres from the coast and about the same distance towards the east. After a couple of hours we encountered several schools of dolphins playing around, which was a joy to watch. Sailing for another hour, our crew spotted the first whale of the day. The blue whale, that is native to the area and doesn’t migrate, spurts water through its air hole and moves forward above and under the surface. Blue whales don’t jump like humpback whales, which makes any footage of them less photogenic and ‘dramatic’ . After making a few glides, the whale will lift its tail and disappears under water. Blue whales can go as deep as 200 metres and can stay underwater for as long as 30 minutes. We saw blue whales doing their thing on five or six occasions. Blue whales are solitary creatures and can only be spotted in pairs as mother and calf. The calf will stay with its mother for about three years, after which it will lead its own solitary whale life. After a relaxing, fun and informative trip, we returned to Mirissa Harbour at about two o’clock.
There are a lot of operators offering whale tours and I have been informed, that some are real sharks. They might charge lower rates, but I have been told the boats are dodgy and there is no respect for the animals, as the whales are being chased. I toured with Raja and the Whales, which I highly recommend if/ when you are in Sri Lanka. If you don’t get to see any whales on the day of your tour, you can rebook for another day free of charge or you get half your money back, which is a great guarantee. I’ve heard that the Whales Club is doing a very good job too.
When in Mirassa, enjoy some beach life. Swim, surf, party a little and make sure to view some magnificent sea mammals.
images: Raja and the Whales
Dark Fairy Adventures 
Leave a comment