Yap Dive Conditions

Has anyone been to Yap lately? What are the u/w conditions like? Is it in good shape? Please advise. Thanks.....

Hello Blenny,

I've been in Yap in 2002.

I had a great time during my three diving days there.

I saw plenty of mantas and I didn't know where to look at since they were coming from all the sides. I've got some shots with four mantas, and some others with cut mantas since it was so close that it didn't get entirely into my 15mm wide-angle.

I arrived just at the beginning of the season and I had a lot of chance to see so many of these creatures. I know that a guy that has been at the same place four days before hasn't seen even one manta in four diving days. You have to check well for the right season for the mantas before you get there. You can check on http://www.mantaray.com/.

One more thing, Yap is not only mantas, you've got there many pelagic, mandarin fishes and a beautiful and quiet island.

You will not regret to go there.

Michel

I was there a year ago and the hard corals were in great shape. The madarin fish were still there and we had Manta encounters.

But....

My friends were there this last April and afterward Typhoon Mitag came through. Here's a link to the news story just after it came through.

http://www.guampdn.com/news/stories/200404...ews/215868.html

I have not researched the current conditions since then and I would not rely upon this for conditions of the diving. I suggest contacting Bill Acker who runs the Manta Ray Bay Hotel for more accurate estimates. bllacker@mantaray.com

The Yapese are wonderful people who rely greatly upon tourism for their economic well-being, they go out of their way to make your experience better. Safe, relaxed, and comfortable are ways I always felt when walking around, asking for help, going to dinner, visiting the villages, and diving. People there smile a lot when you walk by, that says something good.

Good luck and let us know how your trip went.

paquito