Die Spatzen pfiffen es zwar nicht von den Dächern, aber womöglich die Teufelsrochen von der Putzerstation – wo sie doch schon durch die Namenswahl gebauchpinselt wurden: Jedenfalls ließen sie sich beim „MantaFest“, dem Unterwasserfoto-Festival/ Workshop in Yap, nicht bitten und erschienen zur Freude der Fotografen von Ende August bis jetzt bei jedem(!) einzelnen Tauchgang...

By Tim Rock (all photos copyright the owners) Manta Fest 2011 had some amazing entries this year and they weren't all manta photos despite the name of our Fest. The judges commended beautiful shots of sea turtles, reef scenics, macro like mandarinfish and goby potraits, lots of reef shark shots and some beautiful sunrises and...

The Manta Ray Bay Hotel has added some new and updated wall images to enhance the boutique atmosphere of the hotel. As you may already know, each room has a theme based on a sea creature. Every bed spread is a beautiful work based on the room name showing that creature or fish. The motif...

By Tim Rock [caption id="attachment_1170" align="aligncenter" width="519" caption="Tim Rock at Vertigo (Lee Webber photo)"][/caption] I am now back home in Guam but the shooting continues today, the last photo contest day of Manta Fest in Yap and Manta Ray Bay Hotel. I, of course, have not had time to edit everything and the images here...

Story and Photos copyright Tim Rock [caption id="attachment_1157" align="aligncenter" width="625"] Yap, hammock sunset at Sunset Beach[/caption] Believe it or not, Manta Fest isn't all mantas. Yap has the most fascinating and intact culture in Micronesia and a visit to Kaday Village is the showcase of this unique culture. To get to Kaday, one can drive...

Story and Video by Tim Rock [caption id="attachment_1139" align="aligncenter" width="251" caption="Manta Fest manta"][/caption] Here's a look at the mantas thrilling divers at Manta Fest this year. The new cleaning station is a great place to watch cleaner behavior. More to come soon including village dancers. Tim of the Deep

Story & Photos by Tim Rock [caption id="attachment_1135" align="aligncenter" width="346" caption="Sunrise at Manta Ray Bay"][/caption] Divers had a wonderful sunrise this morning and scattered to all parts of Yap. Some will do Yap Caverns on an all day three-dive trip, a few will go back for mantas and others will try the northern reefs. That...

Here's a look and some of the images from the last 2 days of Manta Fest: CLICK HERE to see them. [caption id="attachment_1131" align="aligncenter" width="625" caption="Mas Mantas at Manta Fest"][/caption]

Story & Photos by Tim Rock Last nite a new guest who calls himself Santa Claus had a nice birthday aboard the Mnuw. Sporting a long, white Santa-like beard it is easy to see why he has that moniker. Today Santa got the presents as he was circled by mantas at the new cleaning station...

Die Putzerstation hat Schuld: Fünf Tage Mantas non-stop in gerade einmal 4 bis 10 Meter Tiefe sorgen für klare Prioritäten und Tauchgänge der Kategorie 80 Minuten plus. Bei wirklich jedem der Tauchgänge waren die fliegenden Teppiche der Meere zu sehen, manchmal gleich fünf auf einmal. Nur nachmittags, wenn die Rochen üblicherweise weniger aktiv sind, ging...

I'd say it's all the cleaning station's fault: Five days of constant manta encounters take their too, especially if they take place in between 12 and 30 ft  depth and allow bottom times of 80+ minutes. Only in the afternoons, when the rays tend to be less active, the boats went out to different spots...

The arrival of a lot more guests for week 2 of Manta Fest saw a few more boats leaving the docks