Taking Water Sport to Higher Level
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6 The Nation EYE, Sunday September 12, 2010 FEATURE The Nation EYE, Sunday September 12, 2010 7 HOTEL COMPETITION The Nation EYE, together with the Mount Lavinia Hotel is holding a competition for our readers. Answer a simple question from the write-up about the hotel and stand a chance to win a dinner voucher for two from the Mount Lavinia Hotel each week. Taking water Please fi ll in the coupon below with the correct answer and send it to: The Nation EYE, 742, Maradana Road, Colombo 10. One person can send any number of coupons but photocopies of the coupon are not accepted. Question: What is the name of the architect who completed the sport to current classic wing in 1894? Answer: ..................................................................................................... Name: ........................................................................................................ Contact number: ....................................................................................... Email: ........................................................................................................ higher level Postal Address: ....................................................................................... ....................................................................................... BY VINDYA AMARANAYAKE e all like to play in the water, when we are young and with no responsibilities. WFrolicking in the sea, a river, a SSAVINGAVING TTHEHE stream or even a muddy pool of water is something that we all have done in our youth. But, how many of us would continue the habit into our adulthood and take it on as a profession. Only a few. With the end of the 30-year war last year and many SSURFERS’URFERS’ PPARADISEARADISE countries withdrawing the negative travel advisories against visiting Sri Lanka, the tourist arrivals to the island nation have increased manifold. And, one of the most looked BY ANURADHA ALAHAKOON velopment versus Conservation. The forward to event for most challenge of sustaining both. Tradition meets tourists is surface water sports. hareef Nana is a long time It is an undeniable fact that the The Nation caught up with someone who resident of Arugam Bay. A small-time hotel operators in the area has taken up the sport professionally, to devoted Muslim like many depend on tourism. Experts do agree learn why so many tourists come here to of his neighbours, he oper- that the question of sustaining their modernity at engage in surface water sports and why ates a small hotel. His rooms livelihood is an issue of concern, the locals are not so keen about the sport. are simple. A thatched roof, when talking of conservation. The “More than 80% of the tourists who Smud walls and a simple bathroom. He people should have a livelihood, and come here, are keen about water sports. depends on this beach destination for their basic needs must be sustained, Galle Face Hotel Most of them are quite familiar with his livelihood. It was a lucrative busi- if we are to consider participatory the types of water sports and some need ness before the war broke out. Also, conservation with the stakeholders. training. But they are quite enthusiastic his small hotel was badly damaged by “When we go to the fi eld to study el- he Galle Face about the sport,” H. Sujith Priyanandana, the tsunami. He tells me how dreadful ephant conservation, we sometimes Hotel, established who provides training for those who love it was when the wave came to hit him, wonder how to balance the liveli- as far back as playing in the water. “We saw the ocean recede and then, a hood of the people and protect the in 1864, is world One of the main reasons why Sri Lanka big wave came roaring. Fortunately, I elephants. We know that the people’s famous for being attracts so many tourists is the deep had the presence of mind to run for my livelihood comes under threat in some one of the most blue Indian Ocean that surrounds the life,” he says. areas. It is very diffi cult to get partici- exquisite hotels east of the Now the tsunami has gone and more T island. And then there are hundreds of patory action in such situations” says Suez. rivers cascading towards the ocean from importantly, the civil war is over. For- an Ecologist from IUCN. This same The beautiful architecture, eigners as well as southern locals who question applies to the coastal habitat the Central Hills. This provides ample (Pix by Isuru De Zoysa) breath-taking views of the opportunities for tourists to engage in had never seen the large stretches of conservation. deep blue Indian Ocean various forms of water sports. sand such as in Arugam Bay, are fl ock- and being in the centre of sails and many more. ing to the beach on vacation. Conservation It was not long ago that two Sujith runs a tourist lodge in Colombo’s commercial hub international surfi ng championships While preparing the crab curry for The coastal habitat is a diverse sys- are only few virtues that bring Kaluwamodara, Aluthgama called Ranga dinner for us, he decides to stay in his were held in Sri Lanka; one in the Holiday Inn. He is also a member of PJ tem which sustains a human commu- dwell inside a hotel room. They come thousands of tourists to this Southern town of Hikkaduwa and ‘resort’ (as he calls it) Shareef tells me nity as well. This is a system where to see the natural beauty. So, the justi- century-old hotel year after Mono Sport. He developed an interest about the main speciality of Arugam the other, the Eastern beach town of in water sport at the age of 16, when humans link in diverse ways with fi cation of conservation is right there. year. Arugambay. Bay. “People don’t come to this beach resources in natural surroundings. We cannot sustain the beauty with- The hotel was originally he was a student at the Aluthgama to bathe. The sea is always rough here. “Sri Lanka is a tropical island. Here Maha Vidyalaya. Today, he is married It may be the fi shermen who get their out conserving the ecosystem” says built by four British But there is something special. There Vimukthi Kariyavasam a biodiversity it is sunny all-year round; no seasonal with three children. And his eldest son, daily ‘bread’ from the sea, coastal entrepreneurs. The hotel also employs the is a special current here which helps coordinator from IUCN. changes. Therefore we have a good nine-year-old Kavindu Deshal is already dwellers who depend on the land or Its name derives from the world’s oldest hospitality surfi ng. People all over the world One problem here in Arugam Bay is opportunity to promote Sri Lanka as a mastering water sports. the holidaymakers who come for a stretch of lawn which it faces, industry veteran and doorman, know this tiny spot for its speciality, the dumping of waste on the beach. In water sport destination,” Sujith pointed He has also represented Sri Lanka at short visit to the beach. The diverse known as the Galle Face Kottarapattu Chattu (K.C.) and come here for one thing. That is Sri Lanka, people take the open spaces out. international water sports events: “I have needs of each group must be taken Green. Kuttan. Joining the hotel as a to surf,” says Shareef. for granted. They will dump garbage However, how many locals are keen to won many water sports events held in into consideration when we talk of It began as a Dutch villa bell boy cum waiter in 1942, he He is right. Situated nearly 200km in the nearest open space. Whenever Arugam Bay region a picturesque take up the sport? Not many. Although Bentota. Once I was part of a six-member the coastal conservation. called Galle Face House. Land continues to serve. east of Colombo on the coast, near Po- a hotel is planned, there should also site. Sand mining of the sand dunes there are some locals, mainly from team that went to Beijing, China to take The knowledge of the local commu- for the hotel’s expansion was Many a celebrity client tuvil, Arugam Bay is a world famous be a plan for solid waste disposal and for development activities, including Colombo, who show some interest in the part in a water sports competition. They nity and their commitment towards purchased between 1870 and stayed at the Galle Face Hotel, site for surfi ng. It is one of the hot sewage disposal. There are many ways building of hotels, is a major threat to sport, it is not a pastime that attracts were impressed by our competitiveness. conservation is very important for 1894. when they visited Sri Lanka. spots for this sport, and all surf lovers to treat the waste and discharge. But the sand dunes in Sri Lanka. many. And the reason is the expenses. They were of the impression in Sri Lanka future planning. It is interesting to In 1894, architect Thomas Among the most famed know the destination, though some seldom do our hoteliers adhere to this Nature once showed the importance “There are some locals who are the only sport in practice was cricket!” note the results of a study conducted Skinner completed its current celebrities were Yuri Gagarin, Barefoot water skiing of them do not know of Sri Lanka. practice. As we could see, heaps of of sand dunes by sending a tsunami! interested in water sports. They are Despite being surrounded by water on by two researchers from the Eastern classic wing, its facade former British Prime minister If you happen to search the Internet garbage were seen near some hotels, It is reported in many instances that mainly the rich folk from Colombo. There Bodyboarding is similar to surfi ng, but all four directions and having so many University of Sri Lanka- P. Sivarajah being largely intact until the Edward Heath, Princess for surfi ng sites, you would defi nitely and were at the mercy of stray dogs to the effect of the tsunami was less in is a belief among the locals that water the board is smaller and the person rivers fl owing through the country, Sri and M.