CITY OF MARSEILLES (POSSIBLY) - Trincomalee & East Coast

The City of Marseilles, off the Trincomalee coast, is a proper history lesson you can dive. We love this site for its sheer accessibility – it’s only 6 meters deep, so it’s perfect for open water divers, or even a long, relaxed snorkel. You’re swimming over the remains of an armed merchant ship sunk during World War II, and while it’s mostly broken up, you can still trace the outline of its stern and bow. What we really enjoy here is the way the wreck has become a home. Parrotfish crunch away at the encrusted metal, and schools of snapper drift through the darker recesses. Look closely for moray eels tucked into crevices, or a feathertail stingray resting on the sand nearby. Our favourite time to dive it is early morning, before any surface chop picks up, when the sunlight filters down, making the metal glow and illuminating every fish. It’s a gentle, reflective dive, more about the atmosphere and the small details than grand structures.

Location: Trincomalee & East Coast, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean & East Africa
Coordinates: 7.767169, 81.701890
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 6m

Marine Protected Area: Kayankerny MSAN

Best Time to Dive in Trincomalee & East Coast

The warmest water temperatures in Trincomalee & East Coast occur in January, averaging 27.4°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.4°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 27.4°C (air: 25.8°C)
February: 27.4°C (air: 26.3°C)
March: 27.4°C (air: 27.3°C)
April: 27.4°C (air: 28.2°C)
May: 27.4°C (air: 28.9°C)
June: 27.4°C (air: 29.6°C)
July: 27.4°C (air: 29.4°C)
August: 27.4°C (air: 28.9°C)
September: 27.4°C (air: 28.7°C)
October: 27.4°C (air: 27.2°C)
November: 27.4°C (air: 26.0°C)
December: 27.4°C (air: 25.9°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to CITY OF MARSEILLES (POSSIBLY)

Coco Diving Trincomalee - ["PADI"]
Dive For You - ["PADI"]
Epic Ocean Adventures - ["PADI"]
International Diving School Trincomalee - ["PADI"]
Poseidon Diving Centre - ["PADI"]
Sri Lanka Dive School

Marine Life in Trincomalee & East Coast

Home to 259 recorded species including 205 reef fish, 16 hard corals, 14 sea snails & nudibranchs, 7 sharks & rays, 6 seagrass & algae, 5 whales & dolphins.

Notable Species

Giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) - Reef Fish
Big-eye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) - Reef Fish
Golden trevally (Gnathanodon speciosus) - Reef Fish
cloth-of-gold cone snail (Conus textile) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
Silver Sillago (Sillago sihama) - Reef Fish
Red lionfish (Pterois miles) - Reef Fish
Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor) - Reef Fish
Wrasse (Stethojulis interrupta) - Reef Fish
Small-eyed Squirrelfish (Myripristis murdjan) - Reef Fish
Necklace Cone (Conus monile) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) - Reef Fish
Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
Redcoat (Sargocentron rubrum) - Reef Fish
Five-lined snapper (Lutjanus quinquelineatus) - Reef Fish
Herring Scad (Alepes vari) - Reef Fish
Dusky Wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus) - Reef Fish
Blue and Gold Fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for CITY OF MARSEILLES (POSSIBLY)

Based on average water temperature of 27.4°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
Mask - essential for every dive
Fins
BCD - buoyancy compensator
Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories