SAILING IN NEGOMBO

Negombo is an important and interesting tourist destination in Sri Lanka. It offers fine sandy beaches along with some other tourist attractions. Negombo is located in the Gampaha district in Sri Lanka. It is considered to be the upcoming fishing port. The shore line is very close to Negombo. It is situated in the north of Colombo. Sailing in Negombo is considered to be a lifetime experience. A visitor must try out sailing in Negombo.

A tourist can opt for a boat ride at Negombo. Sailing in Negombo in a local proa is an adventurous experience. The minimum time required for a boat ride in Negombo is approximately one hour. But if a tourist desires to “charter” the boat for a day or more, he can very well do it. All expenses for sailing in Negombo are negotiable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BOAT:

Most of the proas are used for shrimping and fishing purpose. One can find most of the proas to be of wooden construction. Most of the boats are painted brightly. The boatsmen are expert in their business and sail the boats with great proficiency. One will find all the boats to be in an appreciable condition. Most of the boats are quite refined. Some boats contain fiberglass hull. These hulls are fitted with traditional wooden support arms. They are also attached to a wooden float. One may find some of the proas to be about thirty feet long.

At times one may find the sea to be manifested with about sixty or seventy boats. One may also find the sea to be covered with lots of sails allover. The boats are mainly used for fishing purpose. It is the source of sustenance for a majority of families.

SAILING OF THE BOATS:

These boats mainly float along the direction of the wind. Sometimes the leading edge of the sail as well as the sheet of the proas is interchanged. This is done to pave the way for a track. It makes the process of tracking rather slow. This also makes sailing across narrow rivers nearly impossible. Sometimes two long oars are carried. They enhance the speed. Sometimes they are used to keep the boat in motion. The boatmen often use board near the stern to do the steering. During this process the boats suffer a downward cast. This ensures the flapping of the sails. Thus the float remains steady in the wind. At least a group of five or six men help in the launching and beaching of the proa.

Negombo is a place which offers sandy beaches to be explored by the tourists. Sailing in Negombo is an adventurous activity. Negombo also offers certain water sports such as swimming, surfing, skin-diving, and windsurfing. The windsurfing sport in Negombo has made Srilanka very famous.