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Dive Review of Beyond The Reef/O'Keefe's Waterfront Inn in
Micronesia/Yap

Beyond The Reef/O'Keefe's Waterfront Inn: "Good trip!", Feb, 2015,

by L ALAN WILLIS, ON, CA (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 7 reports with 2 Helpful votes). Report 8266.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 3 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments Beyond the Reef is a no frills operation (bring your own towel, snacks and drinks only) promising small groups, maximum of 4--a big plus for me. On most of the dives I was alone with the guide, on a few there was one other diver. Excellent and experienced guide (Keoni); fairly small boat. No nitrox, but there's really no need--none of the dives are very deep.

Tons of mantas in shallow water at Miil Channel during the mating season, which includes February. The divers just hover or perch behind a coral head at about 15 feet and wait. The visibility here is a bit soupy, but the mantas approach to within a few feet, so no problem getting good shots. Best around lunchtime with the brilliant sunshine lighting things up. Quite spectacular. They do the manta site most days for at least one of the dives, except occasionally when a longer trip is scheduled.

We also did a couple of great shark dives outside the reef at the Vertigo site--gray reef sharks and blacktips mainly--good visibility here. At the southern end of the island there's a nice swim-through dive--"the caverns" as well as some interesting corals (but the weather has to be reasonably calm for them to reach this area because of the chop during the trip). All in all, while the mantas are the main draw, there is plenty of variety.

O'Keefe's is a small and charming hotel next door to the Manta Ray Bay hotel, decorated with architectural antiques that give it a heritage flavor. Good sized rooms, excellent service. Breakfast in the lounge; other meals at a good restaurant across the road--or you can dine next door at the Mnuw restaurant run by the Manta Bay resort on an old Indonesian schooner.
Websites Beyond The Reef   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Philippines, Egypt, Sudan, Bonaire, Roatan
Closest Airport Yap Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 27-°C / 81-°F Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility - Ft/ - M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified]
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? no

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas Squadrons
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 2 stars
Small Critters N/A Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics 5 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities 3 stars
UW Photo Comments They didn't have a tank on the boat, but were helpful with the camera equipment at the beginning and end of the dives.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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