Blue whales, the largest animal that has ever lived, within an hour of leaving harbour, because the shelf drops off just 6nm…Blue whales, the largest animal that has ever lived, within an hour of leaving harbour, because the shelf drops off just 6nm out. Also sperm whales in pods, Bryde's whales, and superpods of spinner dolphins that can number over a thousand animals. Dondra Head sits beside one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, and ship strikes on these whales prompted a long campaign to shift the lane 15nm south, a change the IMO adopted in principle. Sri Lanka's whales are thought to be a resident northern Indian Ocean population rather than migratory, which is unusual for the species. Anchorage: Galle harbour as a base; the grounds are a short run east. Hazards: Some operators crowd and chase whales. Choose one that keeps distance, it also gets you better sightings. Altro