Bill’s Update #22 – Happy New Year from Yap!
We have completed another year with our fair share of ups and downs, but we overcame and ended 2024 successfully. We want to thank all the guests that gave us the opportunity to host them on our beautiful island and share with them what Yap has to offer. Our success in 2024 was made possible by all our guests, new and old friends, and of course our amazing staff, who are the heart and soul of our company.
Staff Party on the Crow's Nest
Staff Holiday Party Fun!
Bill & Francis on the Mnuw
This past year we’ve been able to add a few more folks to our team. These new associates will be some of the people that will make your Yap visit more memorable. Flo joined our team mid-year and started in our housekeeping department and now has also become part of our Taro Leaf Spa team as our newest masseuse. Awu and Keith have become part of our Yap Divers team, along with Calwin who can also be found keeping our infinity pool sparkling clean for you.
Leiden “Dhen” is the newest member to the Manta Ray Bay family and is now a part of our award-winning Stonemoney Brewery team. She will also be your best friend at our Crow’s Nest bar at happy hour.
We are grateful to have the younger generation taking an interest in the dive world and expanding a further understanding of how unique their island is, both above and below the water.
Flo in the Spa
Awu in Front of the Dive Shop
Keith in Front of the Dive Shop
Calwin by the Infinity Pool
Dhen in the Stone Money Brewery
What’s on the calendar?
This year is starting to prove to be an eventful year with our annual Yap Day 2025 coming soon, a newly introduced country-wide event, the Micronesia Expo 2025 in July and our annual MantaFest 2025 event in August.
55th Annual Yap Day
Yap, Micronesia, February 26th – March 1, 2025
Yap Day 2025
Yap Day this year will be a weeklong event, with the first day starting on the 26th of February and ending on the 3rd of March. This change in schedule is in hopes of catching all visitors to the island based on the two United Airlines’ flights to the island. There will be a variety of activities scheduled for each day from land tours, WW11 site tours, cultural demonstrations and even the chance to try the local cuisine as well as the anticipated traditional dances.
4th Annual Micronesia Expo
Yap, Micronesia, July 21-25, 2025
The Micronesian Expo
The Micronesian Expo is an event highlighting the different cultures in the FSM, with each of the four island States (Yap, Kosrae, Chuuk and Pohnpei) that comprising the country coming together to showcase each of their traditional cultures. This year, Yap will be hosting this event from the 21st – 26th of July with each day featuring a different island culture, and evenings filled with traditional dances from each island.
This event falls during a time of year where the waters are calmer in Yap allowing you to dive most, if not all, of our dive sites, and also a great time to visit, as Yap will have activities both above and below the water.
18th Annual MantaFest Photography School & Contest
Yap, Micronesia, August 23 – September 7, 2025
MantaFest 2025
Our MantaFest event will be from the 23rd of August until the 7th of September, with our world-renowned photo pros helping us host this annual event. Mantafest as we’ve all come to know is a great way to make new friends and meet old ones with a chance to polish up your picture taking skills. We will have two tank dive days with days to do either a Mandarin dive or a night dive and even our newly introduced Blackwater Diving.
We will have our award-winning photo pros on hand to keep the fun rolling, and the beer flowing, and the storylines growing. These gentlemen are not only top professionals in their fields but they are passionate about the ocean environment and happy to assist photographers of all skill levels improve their craft. You will have fun and will be a better photographer or videographer when the two-week program is over. You might also go home with a fantastic prize from one or our unique sponsors.
Please visit our website at: mantafest.com to see what we have to offer for our event.
PARTING SHOT
Irish Golfer
A golfer playing in Ireland hooked his drive into the woods. Looking for his ball,he found a little Leprechaun flat on his back, a big bump on his head and the golfer’s ball beside him.
Horrified, the golfer got his water bottle from the cart and poured it over the little guy, reviving him.
“Arrgh! What happened?” the Leprechaun asked.
“I’m afraid I hit you with my golf ball,” the golfer says.
“Oh, I see. Well, ye got me fair and square. Ye get three wishes, so whaddya want?”
“Thank God, you’re all right!” the golfer answers in relief. “I don’t want anything, I’m just glad you’re OK, and I apologize.”
And the golfer walks off.
“What a nice guy,” the Leprechaun says to himself. “I have to do something for him. I’ll give him the three things I would want… a great golf game, all the money he ever needs, and a fantastic sex life.”
A year goes by and the golfer is back.