Travel the world and dive the ocean

One of my favorite thing is to enjoy new places on this globe, meet local people, have good food and go for a dive. Sure, sometimes there is a beer involved.

This happend today at the dive spot called Sithanane Pare. I’m not 100% sure about the exact name, but it’s close to Nilaveli in lovely Sri Lanka.

Hey Hive Family
let‘s have a nice dive report
and let us travel the world again

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Start at Pearl Divers

We kicked off the day at the Pearl Divers Location, right on Sandy Beach in Nilaveli.

The crew expertly launched us into the aqua‑blue waters, and soon our little boat was gliding across the calm sea. Sunlight danced on the waves, and our captain’s navigational stories had us smiling.

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Voyage to Seedana

Thanks to our captain’s sharp skill, we reached the dive site “Sithanane Pare”, located off Sri Lanka’s southern coast. The ocean was a warm ~28 °C, with visibility of 10+m ideal for reef exploration.

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Underwater Highlights (~18 m, ~45 min)

The magic with diving a new dive spot is the you never know what you get.

This was our “Menue” for the morning dive.

• White bristle worm (Haplosyllis sp.) weaving through sponge branches—its delicate tentacles waving like fragile ballet dancers.
• A majestic black lionfish, its fins unfurled like a gothic flourish.
• A tiny nudibranch sliding along coral like a living jewel (no good picture).
• A few proud starfish (“Seesterne”) clinging to rocks, statuesque and serene.

Our dive felt like entering a living aquarium—rich textures, vibrant colors, and mesmerizing motion.

What I expected

I read a bit Sithanane Pare Dive Site and learned so far that it offers „Rocks, Reef & Rich Marine Life“

The Sithanane Pare dive site kicks off at about 5 m depth, above rugged rocky outcrops. You then descend over vibrant reef structures into a 13–15 m average depth, with a sandy trough at the reef edge reaching 18 m

Why it's great:
This is exactly what we got. Visibility could be better but Sithanane Pare offers still a dynamic dive. From rocky terrain to sandy drop-off—with abundant marine life and stunning coral diversity. It's a must-dive for fans of both macro critters and larger reef fish. Sadly even here we saw less intact coral as we expected.

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My Dive Video

Sure, as a pro diver I have not even my GoPro with me.

Even better - I added a quality diving lamp and some filters for the camera. With this setup it is fun to shoot short videos like this one.

See the white worm in action

Click to see those worm palps in motion!
I still don’t know exactly what kind of animal this is, but I asked around at
inaturalist.org and maybe some experts will react.

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More marinelife

A „Seestar“

At least in German translation

black lion fish

There was much much more to see. I film a bit but not all dive to make sure I enjoy the nature around me as well

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Beach Landing Finale

After surfacing, our captain throttled the engine and with a grin, he raced the boat straight onto the sandy beach, parking bow‑first.

We leapt off, salt‑streaked and laughing, as onlookers cheered our dramatic splash landing.

That was fun and a different way to land the boat.

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✨ Why This Dive Was Magical

• Spotting a sponge‑dwelling bristle worm (Haplosyllis sp.) felt like uncovering a hidden reef secret.
• The mix of macro‑life—lionfish, nudibranchs, starfish—immersed us in biodiversity.
• The beach parking stunt added a playful local touch to the adventure.

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Calling Fellow Hive Divers

Hey @diveratt my fellow dive friend I sadly never met, @mister‑omortson (who’s shared Sri Lankan wreck dives) and @pranwala (Sri Lanka travel blogger) – have you come across these white bristle worms (Haplosyllis sp.) while diving in Sri Lanka? Or maybe @bitrocker2020 knows more about any macro footage, species tips, or sponge‑worm insights you'd like to share? I’d love to learn more!

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My Final Thoughts

From the warm vibes at Pearl Divers to the thrill of Sithanane Pare reef and the beach‑side finale, this dive was pure joy.

We got a big package with Sun‑bleached memories, salty smiles, and a lot reef wonders.

I love to hear your reactions or macro‑dive tips! 🌊🪱🏖️

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Have a great day everybody
and let us travel the world again

^{pic by @detlev}

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Enjoy the #BeerSaturday
have 3 pics and a story
around beer - and go!

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^{@Detlev loves HIVE}

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