The blue whales off Mirissa are not just passing through. Research led by Sri Lankan marine biologist Dr Asha de Vos has shown they belong to a northern Indian Ocean population that appears not to migrate to polar waters at all – they feed here, in tropical seas made rich by the monsoon currents, and deep water lies unusually close to the south coast. We sail early with an operator that keeps regulated distances and briefs guests on the whales’ greatest threat: one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, running just offshore, where ship strikes are now the leading danger to this population. Spinner dolphins, sperm whales and flying fish are frequent companions. The afternoon slows right down – Coconut Tree Hill, the surf at Weligama, or simply lunch on the sand.
