Yap and Pohnpei May 1989

Click here to see a map of Yap & Pohnpei

I wanted to embark on my First dive trip (with many frequent flier miles banked). Many divers told me that Micronesia had great diving, so I put it on my list of places to check out. I knew that some friends were going on a group trip to Truk and Palau the following year, so I wanted to avoid those destinations. I started viewing Sea Fans, a short lived dive video magazine, and really enjoyed the footage of the pristine coral in Yap. I called a Dive travel agent who specialized in Micronesia and he convinced me that I should also stay a few days at the Village Hotel in Pohnpei. Yap and Pohnpei are two of the states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The advice I received was excellent and this trip started my dive career off on the right foot. I was the 35^th diver to sign Yap Divers log. I had no idea that we would see Manta Rays, Yap divers had not publicized their find, because they were not sure how regularly the mantas would be sited. I stayed at the ESA hotel in Yap (the Manta Bay Hotel was not open yet). It was very basic accommodation. We took a tour of the stone money, some of the villages and the men’s lodge on a day it was too rough to dive. The Village Hotel in Pohnpei remains my favorite dive hotel. It was in the jungle on a cliff overlooking the pacific. The accommodations were Individual thatched huts (very clean very comfortable) and the food was exceptional. I always wondered whether the Village was still as good as I remembered until earlier this year when I read a very favorable review in Undercurrent. There were also some very interesting land tours to keep me occupied after diving (especially the trip to Nan Madol).

I was a total video rookie. I shot lots of footage but very little of it was any good. The best is the shots of the Mantas.

Click here to learn more about the FSM

Click here to learn more about the Village Resort Hotel