Arugam Bay: Check

Arugam Bay: Check
Published
by
NetFinder


on 21/09/2009
in Blogs, front page, hotels and restaurants
. 0 Comments





FINALLY went to arugam bay. i don’t find the beach as spectacular as the beaches in trinco but i can definitely see why the surfers love it. the waves are high, rough and mean business. will i make a nine hour journey to a’ bay again? perhaps. but only for the laid back culture that is unique to this place (it has the hippyness of hikka without its commercialness i think), Galaxy Lounge-the chilled out little place we staid for dirt cheap rates, the pizza at Saman’s Surf and Sun, the crab dish at Ranga’s Beach Hut, and the home made dark chocolate ice cream at Ghecko’s.

Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay: Check’
Arugam Bay: The surfer’s Paradise
Published
by
NetFinder
on 20/09/2009
in Money Matters, front page and the bay
. 0 Comments
From the sun-kissed beaches brimming with a bounty of sea life along the coast, to a veritable ecological museum further inland, Sri Lanka

Rarely does one come across adestination that is so close to Indiaand has so much to offer. From the sun-kissed beaches brimming with a bounty of sea life along the coast, to a veritable ecological museum further inland, Sri Lanka, has always been one of the more exotic global destinations in this part of the world.
Arugam Bay Main Point Surf

Arugam Bay Main Point Surf

Brimming with a two millennia old history reflected in the spectacularly well maintained world heritage sites (UNESCO) at Anuradhapura and Sigiriya, nestled adjacent to pristine reminders of a colonial era, coloured in a palate that draws from history, mythology and nature, inhabited by people whose spirit of hospitality has few parallels, this vibrant Island Destination has many names – Serendipity, Teardrop of India, Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma and Pearl of the Indian Ocean to name a few. Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay: The surfer’s Paradise’
Hotspot Arugam Bay
Published
by
NetFinder
on 14/09/2009
in Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, Money Matters, front page and services
. 6 Comments
Netfinder just notified us today, of an entry dating back 3 years:
414 - 01/23/06 08:27 AM Most remote Hotspot [Re: BenSisko]
Arugam Bay was covered by free WiFi 2002-07

Arugam Bay was covered by free WiFi 2002-07
“I am writing this message from what I thought is the end of the world.
What a surprise to find a FREE Broadband Hotspot in this location; a 10hr. trip East of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
In Tamil, Elephant and Tiger territory.

I am in Arugam Bay.” Continue reading ‘Hotspot Arugam Bay’
A lone Kitesurfer in Arugam Bay
Published
by
NetFinder
on 12/09/2009
in Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, Kitesurf, front page, people and surf
. 1 Comment

It was a windy day in Arugam Bay, Steve who jointly run’s Rocco’s clicked the pictures. Wish one had kited a bit longer or closer to the seas. Alas, it was offshore wind so the fun actually happened at Main Point. Perhaps in October Steve, the kitesurfers will be back, this time with onshore winds!

Pictures courtesy of Steve.The journey, the destination, being lost, just looking, whichever way you look at it you learn – Travel Life. www.lookinglost.com photos from around the world by Steve Jones.Steve@Lookinglost.com.




Continue reading ‘A lone Kitesurfer in Arugam Bay’
Kitesurfing in Arugam Bay
Published
by
NetFinder
on 10/09/2009
in Blogs, Kitesurf, Security & Safety, front page, surf and the bay
. 0 Comments
Offshore Winds, Boats Rescues – What an Experience – Kitesurfing in Arugam Bay
While 99 percent of the kitesurfers in Lanka stayed on the West Coast, 1 percent decided to try out Arugam Bay. Offshore winds are not ideal conditions but the sea and wave riding conditions were too tempting. Learning points at Arugam Bay;

1. Its always good to have a standby boat ready when kitesurfing in unfamiliar conditions Continue reading ‘Kitesurfing in Arugam Bay’
Arugam Bay ( & back)
Published
by
NetFinder
on 09/09/2009
in Blogs, front page, people and wild life
. 2 Comments
hacked by Chavie on Tuesday, September 8, 2009
We got up early Friday morning and headed to Rathnapura. Most of the family had arrived the day before and were loading up the bus…

we left Rathnapura at around 8.30, and took the upper route that would take us across Balangoda and a portion of the Haputhale climb, the majestic southern slopes of the central mountains…

The view below was simply amazing!

(stitched two images together for this one so excuse the rather crappy blending! click for larger image)

Passed Diyaluma, which was pretty dried up because it’s not raining on the eastern slopes these days…

…and a few dusty elephants at Lahugala, which was quite extraordinary given the drought in the area!

and by sundown, we had arrived at the eastern coastline! After months of dreaming about the it after reading Kirigalpothta’s and Unsilent Dawn’s posts, finally made it there! :D

On the following two days, we were treated to the wondrous sunrise on the eastern coast!

We did make a small excursion to Panama and Kumana, Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay ( & back)’
Panama nr. Arugambay
Published
by
NetFinder
on 06/09/2009
in Blogs, Historical sites, front page, people and wild life
. 1 Comment

The settlement of Panama is just 15km south of Arugam Bay
Pattini Devale, Panama
After the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, I made several trips to Pottuvil on the East Coast of Sri Lanka with loads of supplies for the displaced people. On one such trip, in early April, I continued south to the village of Panama (pronounced paa-nuh-muh).
Over 200 years ago, on the 13th of September 1800, an Englishman, William Orr, Esq (a civil servant) visited Panama on the way from Tangalle in the south to Batticaloa in the East. According to his report to the British Governor,
Paoneme contains sixty inhabitants, who cultivate seventy-three amonams of paddy ground.
The following year Thomas Anthony Reeder, surgeon of the 51st Regiment of Foot (who was to die soon after, during the 1st Kandyan War) travelled in the opposite direction. According to his journal,
Panoa is situate on a plain surrounded by jungle. Here are some cultivated fields, and several large stocks of paddee.
A year later, the British Governor himself, the Hon. Frederick North (later 5th Earl of Guilford), followed the southward route. He was accompanied by the Inspector of Hospitals in Ceylon, Thomas Christie, Esq, who reported that
Panoa is a considerable village, and the country round it abounds with paddee fields.

What these descriptions – which appear in James Cordiner’s A Description of Ceylon (London, 1807; Dehiwela, Tisara Prakasakayo, 1983) – show (apart from the recognised inability of the English to tackle with any accuracy the phonetics of foreign place names) is that Panama’s chief attraction was its paddy fields. The surrounding jungle was far more notable to these perfidious Albionians: Christie was highly excited by the sight, en-route to the village of
a herd of wild hogs, and an alligator, both of which allowed us to approach very near.

Rock, fields and tank at Panama

When I visited the place, however, it was in the knowledge that it possesses a Devale (temple) of the goddess Pattini. The shrine, on a rocky spot on the shore of a tank, is a Buddhist one. However, Hindu shrines of Pattini also exist, although she was not originally a Hindu deity.
Main Pattini shrine

Pattini is a goddess of fertility, who may originally have been a middle-eastern deity, Potnia. Continue reading ‘Panama nr. Arugambay’
Ploomer’s Arugam Experiences
Published
by
NetFinder
on 05/09/2009
in Blogs, front page, guesthouse, people, surf and the bay
. 3 Comments

Sept 2nd, ‘09
I arrived at Arugam Bay, a few kilometers below Pottuvil. Most of the tourists that make their way here are surfer types as this is reputed to be the best surfing in Sri Lanka. From what I have read it is best suited for the beginner to intermediate level crowd. I thought about giving it a shot but not this time. If I start surfing I want to devote some time to the exercise rather than spending a day twisting and drowning in surf.

After viewing a number of guesthouse/hotels I finally settled down at the Surf & Sun. A fairly nice place but it does feel a bit overpriced as does all the accommodation in the area. Everything is much more expensive in Sri Lanka than most might think but perhaps the prices are justified due to inflation, taxes, etc. ($20 for one night). There is no hot water (not that it is particularly necessary) and the food in the restaurants is pricey as well.

I do like random and the Surf & Sun has a bit of that. One of the owners is a woman from Iceland (been here for six years) and they have a pet owl. I was told that a member of the Sri Lankan Navy found the baby owl when it had apparently fallen from its nest. It was injured so he took it and gave to the owners of this hotel. I have to admit that I am quite taken with the bird as it is a beautiful creature. Every day they let it out for a bit of exercise but she never ventures very far and, according to Ms. Iceland (Mina), she will not fly away even though it is healthy and capable of doing so. They used to leave it out for long periods of time but a recent attack by a nefarious gang of ravens prevents her from being free all the time.

While sitting in the restaurant one evening I happened to spot a rather gigantic scorpion milling about. Continue reading ‘Ploomer’s Arugam Experiences’
Arugam Surf Moll Dairy. Prt.2
Published
by
NetFinder
on 01/09/2009
in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, front page, people and surf
. 0 Comments

Dear Moll diary,

I was surrounded by Israelis. All eyes were glued to our computer screen, viewing and reviewing and checking again the pictures I had (grudgingly) taken of them surfing that afternoon.

I was bored.
A Moll. Next Generation.

A Moll. Next Generation.

Surfers are obsessed with images of themselves surfing. Once they have access to some they will view and review with several different audiences producing several different discussions, all really saying the same thing (that was an awesome wave trick!! You are awesome, surfing friend!!)

I was really bored.
Surf Board, Girl & Wetssuit

Surf Board, Girl & Wetssuit

So I reached over and began to flip through the only reading material available in Arugam Bay (Sri Lanka). Continue reading ‘Arugam Surf Moll Dairy. Prt.2′
A AbaY Tsunami Drill takes place on …. ??? Be informed.
Published
by
NetFinder
on 31/08/2009
in Environmental, Security & Safety, front page, press coverage and the bay
. 1 Comment

Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 08:38 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Aug 31, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights will be testing the pre-tsunami danger warning tower system Tuesday, September 1st.

The government has recently installed fifty Tsunami Towers through out the country.
S.L. Government Tsunami Warning Tower situated on a hill overlooking Arugam Bay

S.L. Government Tsunami Warning Tower situated on a hill overlooking Arugam Bay

The Towers are expected to provide early warning messages to coastal communities who are vulnerable to tsunamis.

Several sirens are fixed at the towers and warnings will be issued once information of a tsunami threat has been received. Danger warning messages will be issued in several languages and a danger warning alarm will also be sounded soon after receiving the tsunami alert.

The warning towers are incorporated into the national tsunami warning system and work in conjunction with existing infrastructure operated by the Disaster Management Center (DMC) in Colombo and the Department of Meteorology.

According to the Ministry, the testing of the pre-tsunami danger warning towers in the Kalutara district will be conducted from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. tomorrow.

The testing of towers in the districts of the Colombo, Gampaha, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Hambantota, Matara and Galle will take place on the 19th.