Update 23 March 2009:
This barge has been removed/towed away. “imp1” has a photo of the remains.
The original post:
Poseidon’s Dive Log has some details on this barge which has a link to the Daily Mirror article on it.
It looks like something used in a sea-borne invasion accept its quite huge. The lack of a human in the picture makes it hard to convey the size. Took this picture around the middle of July. I was standing on the seaward facing ramparts on the south side of the fort – I think between Flag Rock and the Point Ultrecht bastion. Bit foggy about the exact location.
Hopefully it will be hauled away (legal action seems to have been filed) before more damage is done to the reef. But with people in places like Iran and Singapore involved things don’t look like they will be moving in a hurry.
Cerno 
i saw this right up against the ramparts on my last visit to galle. didn’t realize it had been abandoned!
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last time i saw this was off mahamodara, (the lighthouse hotel basically for non-gallers), about 1.5 miles off the coast at the galu-gala rocks. i was spearfishing there in february, it had been stayin there for about 4/5 months, achored. i havent noticed it had moved tho’! to my knowledge it was used to shift goods/materials from ship to ship and cement form the cement factory….
now the question is: how could it have been towing a ship to singapore when it doesn’t have a friggin engine, hu?
anyway,i ‘ll check the story out tmoro…it’s intriguing and i’m surpised i hadn’t noticed it!??!!?
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Adam:
Same here – didn’t realise it was abandoned when I took the picture. I thought it was some kind of maritime construction barge
galleblogger:
Think this is a good story for you to follow 😉 Free free to post a URL when you dig up some more news.
You are right about the engine thing – the barge must have been towed by a ship/tug/tow boat and the cable must have broken or something to that effect. It seems like an Oceangoing deck barge though I’m not much of an expert on these matters. There a quite a few stories of containers falling off cargo ships (aka the rubber duckies story).
I just hope the thing doesn’t drift off and knock anything else over.
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Wow, I was standing in Galle looking at this yesterday!
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RD:
I guess it seems that northing’s moved 🙂
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it’s right against the rampart walls!!!! i went to see it yesterday and to give the dog a walk, it’s shocking!!! it’s like an alien has landed! i really dotn know how they’ll remove it, it has to go over the reef and out again. i still dont know who i t belongs to, i have to ask some informed ppl, but no time lately…will do tho’…
btw, ANOTHER ship crashed day before yesterday night!!! in rumassala and yesterday it was leaning against the breakwaters in front of the navy camp!!!??! luckily they didnt open fire against it while it was drifting towards them!?!?!
p.s. i might have to do a post on my blog on this….if i have time and all the corect info..
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galleblogger: That’s sad to hear but not entirely unexpected. Hope you get the time to dig up more info.
Also let me know of your blog post’s URL
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now then….developments! there is a ship sticking out in front of jakotua, at the entrance of the harbour!!!?!?!? it’s the one that crashed at Rumassala, it has moved but has been still for a week now!
p.s. as per your request my blog is here:
http://galle-blog.blogspot.com/
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Update:
The barge is still there – between the Triton and Neptune bastions on the western ramparts of the fort.
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Galleblogger – you were walking the dog? If its one of the midsize fawn coloured ones with a red colar, it nicked 3 of my shoes in October! If not – apologies
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