The spray column
Water bursting up every few minutes.
Thilanka Kasunjith — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Prasangika19 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Moonpuddles — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dan arndt — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dan arndt — CC BY-SA 4.0
Hummanaya Blowhole is a natural feature on Sri Lanka's south coast, where seawater bursts upward through a crack in the rock. It is the only known blowhole in the country and is said to be the second largest in the world, though that claim is more often repeated than measured. The name refers to the sound you can hear from a distance when the blowhole is active, since hummanaya in Sinhala evokes that noise. It forms when seawater rushes through a submerged cavern beneath the shore, is pushed upward under pressure and comes out of the hole. From the fishing village you walk down to a viewing platform among brown and grey rocks, and then you wait. Every couple of minutes, depending on the sea, the rock throws up a column of spray that can reach 25 to 30 m, soaking anyone standing close. A small visitors' centre explains marine life, and the platform looks over an open rocky shore. The blowhole lies about 8 km from Tangalle and 16.1 km from Mulkirigala Rock Temple in a straight line, 1.1 km from the village of Kudawella. It weakens a lot when the sea is calm and is at its strongest in the monsoon. The rocks are slippery, so stay on the platform and away from the edge, and protect your phone from the spray.
Water bursting up every few minutes.
A roar you hear from a distance.
A look over an open rocky shore.
Kudawella, near Dikwella, Sri Lanka
When the sea is rough, especially in the monsoon. It weakens a lot in calm seas.
You may if you stand close, so protect your phone and camera.