Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
HMS Hermes was the world's first purpose-built aircraft carrier, launched in 1919, and was sunk by Japanese aircraft in April 1942 off the east coast of Sri Lanka near Batticaloa while operating without air cover. The wreck lies off Maḍakalapuva at a maximum depth of around 55 metres, rated a technical dive over a wreck bottom, undertaken by specialist teams rather than typical charter operations. Divers have reported challenging conditions on the site, along with decompression obligations, an overhead environment, and the risks of nitrogen narcosis and oxygen toxicity that come with dives of this depth. Marine life recorded there has included barracuda, grouper, Napoleon wrasse, snapper, and tuna moving over the broken hull.
AI overviewMarine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
SnapperSnapperReported here · unconfirmed
BarracudaBarracudaReported here · unconfirmed
GrouperGrouperReported here · unconfirmed
TunaTunaReported here · unconfirmed
Napoleon (humphead) wrasseNapoleon (humphead) wrasseReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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