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Yellow Oleander

Saturday, October 23rd, 2004

The next day promised to be boring. I could not quite decide what to do with myself, when Maria phoned. She had a rare afternoon off from work and suggested we go on a drive along the coast. “We can go to a beach”, she said: “to swim and snorkle!”
[read on]

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Ectoparasites

Friday, October 22nd, 2004

As I approached the gate of the house in Negombo, a black-and-brown furry blur rushed at me, accompanied by fierce flashing teeth and the sound of mad barking. Evidently the neighbours’ dog, the one I had shouted at during the ill-fated Night of the Lost Pocket Knife, had joined our growing menagerie. As soon as John emerged to unlock the gate (the lazy buggers had not been out of the house all day), the dog calmed down and started wagging his tail. But it was not until later in the evening that he felt entirely at ease in my presence.
[read on]

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The Eco Tour (2)

Thursday, October 21st, 2004

Of the world’s seven species of marine turtles, five come ashore to nest in Sri Lanka. They are the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), hawksbill (Eritmochilys imbricata) and leatherback (Dermochylys coriacea). The 2.5 km long stretch of beach across the Rekawa lagoon on which we now stood provides the nesting ground for over 70% of Sri Lanka’s green turtles. Despite the protection of marine turtles under government legislation since 1972, they are still being exploited for their meat, eggs and carapaces. Pollution (especially by polythene bags) and habitat deterioration pose further threats. Although they can live for over 100 years, female turtles do not reach sexual maturity until they are about 13 years old.
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The Eco Tour (1)

Wednesday, October 20th, 2004

The area around Tangalla promised some spectacular beaches, but I was attracted to this town because of its proximity to Rekawa. It was there that one of the more active field-stations of NARA was based, carrying out extensive research on crustacean aquaculture and the local lagoon fishery. A former lecturer of mine had visited the station in the late ’90s and published a paper on the release of hatchery-reared tiger prawns (Paeneus monodon) into the lagoon to boost the prawn fishery. I knew the man to be a turtle specialist so I expected that these had been the primary reason for his visit. Sure enough, the guidebook claimed the Tangalle area was famous for turtles.
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Raja’s Oasis

Tuesday, October 19th, 2004

Weligama was the opposite of Mirissa. The bay was crowded not with tourists, but with fishermen. There were so many boats that it must have been overfished. The main catch appeared to be tiny sardinellas.
[read on]

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South

Monday, October 18th, 2004

I never met the people at NARA again because I could not make myself understood on the phone. My accent is bad, but even A seemed to have difficulties. The main problem was that I did not know the name of the senior scientist I had talked to and I did not want to ask for young Dr. J because he shared the same surname as the founder-chairman. As luck would have it, one of my print-outs listed the name of the Research Coordinator. Maybe that was the person I had met. I mentioned the name on the phone, which took several attempts due to my hopeless pronounciation.
[read on]

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Trial by bus

Saturday, October 16th, 2004

Getting a bus back to Kandy and, more importantly, seats should not be a problem, seeing that we were staying opposite the bus station at the eastern terminus of the Trinco-Kandy service. However, there were no private buses that morning and all seats in the CBT bus had been taken over an hour before it was due to depart. People had draped their luggage and children across the benches, leaving the odd granny in charge who would raise a forbidding hand as soon as we glanced in her general direction, then gone off to get provisions. We were lucky to find a metal storage box to sit on next to the door, but we had to get up periodically for items to be added or removed. By the time we were on the move, the bus was packed even tighter than the one on the way to Trinco.
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Return to Trincomalee

Friday, October 15th, 2004

The next morning John and I found ourselves in another minibus, speeding back towards Trinco. John had agreed to come along because he figured I could do with some support. I did my best to sell him the charms of Trincomalee, alas with little success.
[read on]

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Water shortages, forest fires and whale talk

Thursday, October 14th, 2004

Every drop of water had to be labourously transferred to a tank on the roof and all we got was a trickle from the taps and the occasional flush of the cistern. Rob had managed to borrow a pump from the university and now there was at least enough water for a quick shower. Even better, the heater was working as normal. As I shampooed my hair, I kept glancing nervously at the electrical wiring which was installed right next to the shower head. When I turned the knob to regulate the temperature, I was sure I saw a blue spark. My nerves deserted me and I got out quickly, towelling the shampoo from my hair. The others happily took their showers and nobody ended up being electricuted.
“But it can’t be safe!” I exclaimed.
“Look at it this way,” Rob said laconically: “Nothing has happened, yet.”
“My dad came along for a visit last year” S said. “We stayed a week and he never once had a shower. He figures the wiring is lethal!”
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A troubled history

Wednesday, October 13th, 2004

Over dinner, the discussion turned back to the weather. Incredibly, the looming clouds had again dissipated. There had been little rain since October and everybody was waiting for the northeast monsoon to pick up belatedly. I had gained an indication of how wet the region usually is from mildew stains on the walls of some of the campus buildings. Overhead, one of the ceiling tiles also showed signs of recent water damage.
“Better get your roof fixed before the rains come back.” I said, pointing upwards.
“Oh that,” said Simon: “That happened a few months ago when people were throwing rocks at the house. One went through the roof!”
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