(Most of this text below is courtesy of Manta Ray Bay Hotel in Yap,
whom U.S. Dive Travel Network represents as a stateside wholesaler.
All copyrighted photos on this page are provided courtesy of the hotel.)

After two years in the Peace Corps, Bill Acker studied at the University of Hawaii Graduate School of Business and was there two years when a call for assistance came from old friends and "family" in Yap. Bill left Honolulu and became the manager of the WAAB Transportation Company where he stayed for the next 13 years. As part of his accomplishments while directing WAAB Transportation, Bill took up the sport of scuba diving. One thing led to another and one of the results of this new hobby became known as Yap Divers. Bill conceived the idea of opening Yap’s first dive shop in the fall of 1985 and by the Summer of 1986, Yap Diver’s was affiliated with both NAUI and PADI and opened for business. As they say, "The rest is history".

With guidance from the late Paul Tzimoulis, Hall of Fame dive pioneer and publisher of SKIN DIVER MAGAZINE, Bill developed the manta dives and the publicity that has culminated in Yap being one of the top international dive destinations in the world. With very few exceptions, all of the dive sites in Yap were found, explored and named by Bill. With over 9,000 dives in the waters of Yap, Bill is a member of the original class of SSI Platinum Pro Divers. As a PADI instructor, Bill remains active in exploring new dive sites and teaching the sport to people interested in sharing his love for the ocean environment.

Along the way, Bill met and married Patricia Mangthin of Yap and they have 4 wonderful children (Numie, Nathan, Valerie and Opie). All of the family are active in the sport of diving and share in their father’s commitment to safety and preservation of this natural resource. Bill and his family own and operate the Manta Ray Bay Hotel & Yap Divers. He can be found at the hotel 7 days a week, ready to help with suggestions on diving, photography, fishing or just relaxing on the back deck. As a family owned and operated dive resort, you can be sure that your satisfaction is taken very seriously and that the "boss" is around to help you in the event assistance is required.

THE FAMOUS MANTA RAYS of YAP ISLAND:
Yap is world famous for it's large population of resident manta rays. On Yap island a manta dive does not mean you submerge just hoping for a manta encounter, it means diving to see the mantas - any day, any time, it's a given. Manta Ray Bay Hotel has made Yap famous for it's large population of resident Manta Rays. Yap is probably the best place on earth to see these gentle giants, & Yap Divers is expert at showing them to you. Over 100 Manta Rays live year round in the waters surrounding Yap. In the winter (usually December to late April) the Mantas congregate in even greater numbers in Mi'l Channel for the mating season. During the summer season, they spend their mornings in Goofnuw channel in the Valley of the Rays, one epicenter of Yap dive vacations. There are few dive resorts like Manta Ray Bay Hotel anywhere in the world, where large fish like this are so plentiful & used to divers. Never a dull day with Yap diving, all ye funseekers!

Every morning on your Yap diving vacation, huge Manta Rays cruise into protected channels that penetrate the barrier reef. They come to "Cleaning Stations" where small specialized reef fishes called cleaners pick off tiny parasites that the Mantas pick up in blue water while feeding. The Mantas slowly circle the cleaning station & frequently pass within inches of the observing diver's heads. Small Mantas are generally about 8 feet from wingtip to wingtip. The largest rays are up to 14 feet across.

During the Manta mating season (December to late April), processions of as many as a dozen of the huge Rays can be seen cruising back & forth in Mi'l Channel. Yap Divers has identified several Manta cleaning stations, & guides are expert at finding the Mantas. These savvy guides make Yap dive vacations an adventure to remember.

Yap diving -- scuba dive sites.

MORE YAP DIVING HIGHLIGHTS:
There's much more to a Yap diving vacation than just manta rays, however. Yap's outer reefs abound with many multi-colored species of tropical reef fishes, invertebrates & corals. When coupled with the abundance of larger species like mantas, sharks, & turtles, Yap is a paradise for the underwater photographer or videographer. More than 200 species of hard & soft corals form the reefs of Yap.

A dive site called Yap Caverns, at the southern tip of the island, offers a truly spectacular dive with an array of caverns, swim-throughs & pinnacles populated by Lionfish & sleeping whitetip reef sharks. Large schools of Huge Bumphead Parrotfish are often seen here. A unique feature of Yap Caverns is that the dive is not restricted to advanced divers, & beginners have no trouble negotiating the swim throughs. Therefore novices are able to share an experience of rare beauty otherwise reserved for more experienced divers.

The reefs on the east side of the island (windward side) feature gently sloping terraces with one of the most diverse selections of hard corals in Micronesia. The west side of the island (lee side) is composed of a series of vertical walls starting in 15 feet of water & plunging straight down hundreds of feet. The visibility on the reefs usually exceeds 100 feet & frequently is over 150 ft. Yap diving, is often blessed with this extra-terrestrial viz, experts confirm.

Many species of marine creatures that are rare in some parts of the world are plentiful in Yap island. Dive sites such as Lionfish Wall offer a chance to experience the beauty of a pristine coral reef. One perpetual favorite of divers is the colorful clownfish. Five species can be seen in Yap on most scuba diving tours. Some of the anemones they live in are over four feet across & host dozens of clowns at one time. Who says Yap dive vacations are all manta rays? The critters abound down here. So send in the clowns!

One type of ocean poetry in motion...

...and yes, another type.

WHAT'S FRESH for YEARS 2006 & 2007 ?
NITROX, MACRO DIVES & MANTA
SPECIALTY SCUBA DIVING COURSE:
Yap Divers offers a course to certify you as a Nitrox diver. The dive shop offers 32% enriched air for your safety & diving pleasure. If you are already certified as a Nitrox diver & wish to use Nitrox on any, or all of your dives with us, please notify the dive staff & we will be happy to assist you.

Another new feature this year is the Macro Dive. A special dive site has been discovered in the main channel that offers more invertebrate life per square meter than any known site in Micronesia. The nudibranchs are outstanding & the diving guides have become very good at finding & identifying the animals for you. This is a great place for macro-photography enthusiasts as well as for people who want to experience something very different from normal daily dives in Micronesia. Yap diving will hone your photo skills, as these awesome creatures move slowly enough to catch on film easily.

Bill Acker, general manager of Manta Ray Bay Hotel & a member of the original class of SSI Platinum Pro Divers, teaches a PADI Specialty Course entitled "Manta Ray Awareness". This course involves a short video, a short lecture/discussion with Bill & 2 Manta dives. You will learn about the habitats of the Yapese mantas, about the cleaning stations & fish that inhabit the stations, become proficient in telling males from females as well as identifying the individual rays by name. This course is a must for anyone wishing to know more about watching, photographing & enjoying the gentle Manta Rays of Yap island. Any of the scuba diving staff or front desk workers can make the arrangements for you to take this class.

Another pristine beach on the laid-back isle of Yap.

BEAUTIFUL CLIMATE on YAP:
The climate in Yap is big time tropical -- hot & humid. Average year-round temperature is 81º F (27º C), with a 10º F (6º C) variation between night & day. The average water temperature is 82º F (28º C). Annual rainfall is 121 inches (3090 mm). Northeast tradewinds blow from November to May, resulting in less rain & lower humidity during these months. Typhoons are uncommon. The ones hitting other areas of the western Pacific during the typhoon season usually pass to the north of Yap Island Proper.

LUXURY FEATURES of the MANTA RAY BAY HOTEL:
The Manta Ray Bay Hotel is a dedicated dive resort, designed by divers & built for divers. Its 28 beautifully refurbished rooms offer air conditioning, satellite TV, in-room fridges, & VCR's. The hotel was built with scuba divers in mind. All of the dive facilities & equipment storage are conveniently located within steps of the Hotel. Yap Divers, located on the premises, offers a full service dive shop, all levels of instruction, Mares equipment rental, morning & afternoon two tank dives to either the Manta sites or the reefs, & night dives on request.

Along with these classic Yap diving vacation packages, we also offer world class fishing with Yap Anglers, & an opportunity to explore the wildlife & nature by kayaking with Yap's Planet Blue Kayak Tours. The third floor of the hotel houses the Manta Ray Grill, the Island's finest restaurant with a great view of the lagoon. Our Yap diving guests can also enjoy a refreshing tropical drink in the Nautical Weaver Bar on the ground floor right at the edge of the sea.

The visual theme of the entire redecorated hotel is "vivid marine life." Each distinctly designed room bears a fish name, and is decorated accordingly, with photographs & paintings of that fish, right down to the hand carved key chains and handmade bedspreads. The double doors connecting the rooms of the suite are adorned with carvings of manta rays. The hotel has been expanded to 28 rooms, including 15 Ocean View, 4 Deluxe Ocean View and 9 Standard. The Ocean View rooms are located on the seaward side of the hotel, providing a nice view of the lagoon from their private balconies. The Standard rooms are located on the opposite side, overlooking the road and the hills beyond.

One of the Deluxe Ocean View rooms is located on the 3rd floor and has a private spiral staircase leading to an exclusive roof top Jacuzzi and sun deck. We can offer a suite by opening adjoining doors in the Deluxe Ocean View Room. The suite includes two full bathrooms, one king size bed and two queen size beds, two balconies and two TV/VCRs. Two other Deluxe Ocean View Rooms are located on the ground floor, each having a huge private deck extending over the lagoon with a private plunge pool. There is an antique king-size bed in each of these rooms. Our newest Deluxe Ocean View Room is on the 3rd floor and is a mini-suite with a king-sized bed, tropical hardwood flooring in the bedroom portion, a sitting area and a unique indoor garden shower.

The first floor has 5 rooms with a queen size waterbed and a queen size regular bed per room. Most of the rooms on the second and third floors have two queen size regular beds per room. A few rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors have 1 king size bed per room. The Deluxe Ocean View Rooms have one king size antique bed. All rooms are air-conditioned and have ceiling fan, color TV/VCR, international direct dial telephone, refrigerator (upon request), private bathroom with hot water and built-in hair dryer, as well as a private balcony with the Ocean View and Deluxe Ocean View Rooms. Most rooms have built-in electronic safes and for those rooms that do not have these feature, a bank of individual safes is located at the Front Desk. In addition, we have installed a sophisticated and highly efficient water purification and treatment system, resulting in fully potable in-room tap water. Our 20,000 gallon storage tank means that the Manta Ray Bay always has 24 hour water, which is a unique bonus in the dry season on an island.

YAP ISLAND's ANCIENT CULTURE & TRADITIONS:
There's even more color on Yap than the kind you find scuba diving. The Yapese have managed to maintain their ancient culture better than anywhere else in Micronesia. The heritage & traditions of the Yapese people are carefully nourished to preserve the Micronesian way of life. Yapese culture centers around the village. Most Yapese still live in villages as their ancestors have for millennia. The contrast between old & new is sometimes staggering to the casual visitor, as well educated Yapese, fluent in English & with access to modern schooling & health care, still prefer to lead their lives in the old fashioned way. There is something to be said about a calm & peaceful way of life, with no urban stress. We wonder if North Americans remember the good old days any more.

Village life is influenced by a caste system which is complex & full of subtle nuances a visitor can never hope to fully understand. Status & success in Yapese society can be gained in a variety of ways, but the acquisition of material wealth in the western fashion is not one of them. Kindness & a generous spirit are prized in this culture. A shy, but gentle & friendly people, the Yapese welcome visitors from abroad. On our cultural tours, you will have the opportunity to visit a village & experience bona fide rural village life & traditions for yourself. We feel this is as vital a part of any Yap diving vacation as the manta rays.

The Yapese have a strong tradition of chants & dances, often of ancient origin. The chants & dances always tell a story, & teaching them to each new generation is an important part of preserving the Yapese heritage. Magic & ritual has a strong influence in Yapese society. "The magic is strong in Yap" is a commonly held opinion throughout most of the western Pacific, where the Yapese are held in great esteem as great navigators.

Old world life in a Yap village.