These were the real pioneer SCUBA divers of Sri Lanka – by Rex I. De Silva
In view of some recent internet discussions as to who the pioneer SCUBA divers of Sri Lanka were, I list herewith my findings. I should point out that as the Honorary Secretary of the Reefcombers of Ceylon (ROC) I knew most of the individuals mentioned here and dived with many of them. Those whose names appear in bold type were members of the ROC, non-members’ names appear in plain text. Those whose names are followed by an asterisk are the few pioneer Reefcombers who survive to date.
(Names are listed in alphabetical order of the surnames).
SCUBA divers prior to 1952.
Tissa Ariyaratne
Tony Buxton
Rodney Jonklaas
Langston Pereira
Hugh Stewart
SCUBA divers from 1952 – 1955
Mark Bostock
Jim Carmen
Rupert Giles
Mike Khalid
Carlyle Ranasinghe*
SCUBA divers 1956 – 1957
Gunilla Buxton
Arthur C. Clarke
David Giles
Isobel Giles
George Sandham
Mike Wilson
SCUBA divers 1958-1962
George Arndt (c. 1960)
Dr. George H.P. de Bruin (c. 1958)
Rex I. De Silva*(1958)
Trevor Ferdinands* (c. 1962)
SCUBA divers 1963 – 1967
Callistus Almeida (1964)
G.K. Balakrishnan (1964)
Hector Ekanayake (c. 1963)
Dr. Malik Fernando (1967)
Cedric Martenstyn (c. 1963)
Ananda Pathirana (c. 1963)
Ranjith Perera*(1964)
Joe Rajapakse (1964)
Trevor Roosmale-Cocq (1964)
I intend to update this post as new information becomes available. I do not know the names of some of the photographers whose images are included here. If you have this information please let me know so that they could be properly credited. Also please inform me of any errors or omissions.
Rex I. De Silva FLS, MIBiol
Honorary Secretary of the Reefcombers of Ceylon (1961 – c.1979)
Author of: The Sharks of Sri Lanka.
HISTORIC IMAGES
- Divers from the late 1940s. Standing ext. left: Gerd von Dincklage, ext right: Rodney Jonklaas, squatting ext. right: Mike Khalid. The others are unknown. The photographer is not known.
- The first ever underwater image from Sri Lanka shows Langston Pereira free diving.Photograph from the mid-1940s by KLM Airways pilot Scholenberg. Nothing further is known of the photographer,
- Frederick Detheridge Davies worked on the Colombo Harbour breakwater in approximately 1902 or so. He died of a brain hemorrage at the age of 33 and is buried next to his father (also a diver) in Borella (Kanatte) Cemetery. Photographer unknown.
- Rodney Jonklaas diving on the Great Basses Reef. (Photographer Rex, image c. 1967).
- Vickie Athukorale was the first Sri Lankan diver (apart from numerous undocumented pearl and chank divers from antiquity to the 20thcentury). He started diving in 1938. Athu never used SCUBA but he inspired generations of divers. Photographer unknown.
- Trevor Ferdinands diving on the Great Basses Reef c. 1968. Trevor was attacked by a shark at Pigeon Island which he speared in its head, thus probably saving his life. (Photographer Rex)
- Pioneer SCUBA diver Tony Buxton chats with Hon. R.G. Senanayake (Minister of Tourism) and Sir John Kotalawela (Prime Minister of Ceylon). Image probably 1960s. Photographer unknown.
- SLN diver George Arndt was the first batch of Navy SCUBA divers in the early 1960s. He was trained by instructors from the US Navy. (Image by Adrian Arndt).
- Divers at the National Spearfishing Championships 1974. (L – R) Rodney Jonklaas, Freddie Tira, Patrick Nicholas, Vickie Athukorala Graham Arndt, Oswald Forbes, A.J Thaha, an official and Tissa Ariyaratne.
- Joe Rajapakse lost his life in the 1970s while diving in the Maldives. Image by Rex.
