While writing down the title of this blog, I got curious where, how and when the phrase “There’s always light at the end of the tunnel” originated. After browsing for an hour or so I gave up as there are so many different versions that I decided that everyone has his/her own tunnel. Therefore, everyone has his/her own light. Nevertheless, I think the last 9 months or so we all shared a tunnel and a common light – Covid19.  Knowing that vaccines have been developed and will be distributed soon, I am hopeful. Hopeful that, despite the alarming spikes in Covid19 infections both in the US and Europe, sometime in the Fall of 2021 we will be allowed to welcome guests again. While I consider the coming vaccine as the first “light”, a meeting with my friend Amos Collins of Pacific Mission Aviation (PMA) on November 23^rd is my second “light”. With (de)light……….I listened as he told me the news that PMA would be receiving two Beechcraft King Air 200 aircraft in March of 2021. These pressurized, extremely fast aircraft will be used for Yap/Palau, Yap/Manila and Yap/Guam flights. Yap/Palau will be a one-hour flight capable of carrying 9 passengers with 2 full size pieces of luggage. Yap/Manila will be a four-hour flight with the same luggage capacity. These planes will serve Yap/Palau on a scheduled basis plus be available for charters which we can use to match-up with schedules of Palau live-aboards. More info to come as soon it’s available, but this would increase your options to visit our beautiful island.  

Beechcraft King Air 200 aircraft connecting in the future Yap with Palau and Manila

  Although I am hoping for a Fall of 2021 re-opening, obviously I would welcome an earlier date. Whatever the date is gonna be, we’ll be ready and we will offer a really special set of “Grand Re-opening Packages”. Please click here for more details, but in brief we’re offering the following to you and your dive buddies. For individual bookings you will get 3 FREE NIGHTS when booking our 7 night/15 dives, 10 night/24 dives or 14/33 dives packages. That’s right, you book for 7 nights and you’ll stay 10 nights with the last 3 nights for free. Groups will get 8 FREE SPOTS for every 8 paid divers. This is not a typo! You’ll pay for 8 divers and can come with 16 divers! We were “lucky” that materials for a major overhaul of our Mnuw Bar & Restaurant were ordered before this Covid19 crisis started and when you’re here you’ll see the improvements we are working on. Jude and Detlef, along with their teams, have extended the covered Crow’s Nest-area meaning that instead of rain spoiling the fun, we will have more space for you to stay dry as well as retractable sheets which can be pulled down to keep the bar area dry. Furthermore, the wooden deck will be replaced with Trex composite decking.  This means we will no longer need to cut wood anymore, as this material is kind of maintenance free. Another way for us to contribute to a more sustainable environment. “Work in Progress” on the Mnuw Time for our 10 reasons “not to come to Yap”. “Reason #6 Not to come to Yap” If you want to be on an island full of nightlife, casino’s, disco’s, and high traffic tourism areas, don’t come to Yap. We have fewer than 1,000 divers visiting the island every year and in many ways the culture, way-of-living and structures are still in place like they have been for decades. We have the Mnuw that not only is the only place on island where our home-brewed Stone Money beer is served but, like our beer that has won some prestigious awards, the restaurant itself also has been voted as one of the 5 most quality restaurants in the Indian Ocean/Pacific region by readers of Scuba Diving Magazine. No, we normally don’t continue till the wee-hours, since our guests like to explore as much of Yap’s beauty on-land and underwater as possible, but I guarantee you that relaxing and socializing on our 120+ year old Indonesian schooner is an experience by itself.   Hopefully we can get together soon again on the Mnuw One more thing folks! Show off your work by uploading your favorite shots on our guest gallery. We got a few submissions, but sure we can get more. Please upload them via https://www.mantaray.com/manta-ray-bay-gallery-home/. We are offering 4 Ikelite Gift Vouchers of $25 each to those guests who submit the 4 best sets of photos to be added to our website guest gallery. Don’t forget to insert your name in the filename that you’re uploading so we know who to give the credit to.  This competition is open till December 31 of this year. Don’t be shy, photo pro or not, we value all pictures that show your fond memories of Yap. Parting shot Now here’s a wife in a million Wife: I am heading to the store; do you want anything? Husband:  I want a sense of purpose and meaning in my life….I seek fulfillment and completeness in my soul….I want to connect with God and discover the spiritual side of me…. Wife:  Be more specific, Beer or Vodka? Bonus Shot I asked my wife if I was the only one she’d been with. She said yes, all the others had been nines and tens….