← All articles · Sri Lanka · 24 June 2014

Pigeon Island

Pigeon Island in June 2014: a small boat from Nilaveli beach, snorkelling over coral gardens full of butterflyfish, and one souvenir scratch to show for it.

June 2014, Sri Lanka's east coast. Off the long white sweep of Nilaveli beach sit two rocky islets ringed by reef: Pigeon Island National Park. You get there in a small open boat, you put on a mask, and you spend the rest of the day forgetting to come up.

The crossing

The white bow of a small boat on flat turquoise sea, the rocky islets of Pigeon Island low on the horizon — The commute: one peeling bow, one flat sea, Pigeon Island straight ahead.

Inga in an orange life jacket sitting in an open boat in the surf, a rocky islet out at sea behind her — Launching straight off the beach, life jackets on, dignity optional.

Under the surface

The reef starts almost as soon as the water does. Fields of staghorn coral run off in every direction, and the fish carry on with their day about an arm's length from your mask.

Inga snorkelling underwater in a mask, swimming towards the camera over a coral reef — Inga inbound. The nail polish survived the reef.

Dileep in a snorkel mask swimming just under the surface, coral rocks below him — Dileep on patrol, watch still on. Some habits do not take holidays.

A wide field of pale staghorn coral stretching away under clear blue water, a small butterflyfish in the foreground — Coral to the horizon. This is what the whole crossing is for.

Two striped butterflyfish with yellow and orange markings swimming among branching staghorn coral — Butterflyfish come in pairs here, like they know it looks better.

Layered plate and staghorn corals in green and cream with three butterflyfish swimming between them — Plate coral stacked like pastry, with butterflyfish weaving through.

A close-up of a striped butterflyfish with a yellow belly swimming past white branching coral — Close enough to count the stripes.

A white-spotted pufferfish resting on ridged coral, a blurred finger pointing into the frame — One pufferfish, plus a helpful pointing finger for scale. You are welcome.

A purple and white crown-of-thorns starfish wedged into a dark gap between branches of coral — A crown-of-thorns starfish tucked into the reef. Beautiful, spiky, best admired from exactly here.

The souvenir

Dileep on the white coral beach of Pigeon Island with a snorkel mask on his head, showing a red scratch on his arm — The reef signs its work. One scratch, worn with entirely too much pride.

Nilaveli beach seen from the sea, a long strip of pale sand backed by coconut palms under a blue sky — Heading back: Nilaveli's palms from the water, which is the correct way to first see a beach.

Base yourself at Nilaveli or in Trincomalee just down the coast, and if you are chasing more east-coast water, the calm bay at Pasikuda is a couple of hours south.