Sri Lanka Navy to begin whale watching tours

Jan 28, 2011 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Navy has ventured into wild life tourism by offering whale watching tours to the public off the island’s southern tip of Galle starting next month. The Navy is to deploy the fast passenger vessel (FPV) 503 previously used to transport service personnel and civilians between the eastern port city of Trincomalee and Jaffna in the Island’s north.

Just as the passenger vessel Jetliner now being used for tourism, we want to use the FPV 503 for whale watching Navy spokesman Athula Senerath said.

The Navy’s FPV 503 vessel can take around 350 passengers he said.

The first inaugural tour is to take place during the week end with a very important person, the Navy said.

We will decide the cost and frequency of tours depending on the demand from the public, Senerath said.

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.

Experts have said that frequency of whale sightings and proximity to the shore makes Sri Lanka one of the easiest places in the world to spot blue or sperm whales.