Exploring the Depths: Wreck Diving in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka with Poseidon Diving Centre!

Join us on an unforgettable adventure as we explore the depths of Sri Lanka through wreck scuba diving with Poseidon Diving Centre in Hikkaduwa. From ancient shipwrecks to colorful marine life, this video will take you on a journey through one of the world's most stunning underwater destinations. Get ready to dive into a whole new world and discover the wonders of Sri Lanka from a different perspective. Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell for more travel and diving content!
Earl of Shaftsbury (1893)
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The Earl of Shaftsbury was wrecked in year 1893, 5-6 Km away from Hikkaduwa. When the accident occurred it was sailing from Bombay to Diamond Island, Rangoon. She had collided on a reef by rough waves. Six from the crew was drowned and 14 were survived.
The ship was laid on a 50 feet depth. The incident was reported in the News papers. We found the articles of the Examiner Newspapers dated 8th to 11th May 1893 from the department of the National Archives Colombo. The value of the vessel is estimated as Rs. 300,000.
SS Conch (1892 to 1903-06-03)
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The wreck is known among the divers of Hikkaduwa area as the SS CONCH, the first oil tanker (oil transportation ship) to sink. this was in the year 1903. It is said that the oil tanks are still visible, and also that the Captain’s cabin is still intact and accessible. The main problem, however was the lack of historical evidence to confirm these commonly held views. I had to investigate further because oral history alone would not be enough to prove the archaeological significance of this wreck.
At the same time I had the opportunity to visit the Conch. I went to the site with the divers from the Blue Deep Dive centre. We launched a boat from the Hikkaduwa beach and took it parallel to the coast line until we reached the Akkurala area. It was a 10 km journey and took nearly half an hour. We anchored the boat near a small rock rising out from the water (villagers called it as the “Passa gala” rock) which is situated 03 km from the beach. The depth gauge recorded 17 when we reached the bottom. The visibility was nearly 15 meters, more than enough to inspect the wreck. Hundreds of iron parts of the shipwreck were scattered all over the sea bed. It was very hard to get an idea of the ship’s structure at this point.