Vertigo
Vertical reef wall off Yap's west coast (a 25–35 minute boat ride) with a reef plateau at about 15 m, known for resident grey and blacktip reef sharks and described by the resort as one of Micronesia's best shark dives. Current is gentle to none and visibility is excellent. Yap Divers also runs a baited shark-feed dive here (8 divers minimum).
Facts
- Region: Micronesia – Yap, Pohnpei & Kosrae
- Area: Yap
- Depth: 10–20 m
- Level: beginner
- Current: low
- Type: wall, reef
- Coordinates: 9.46255, 138.05696 (approximate)
- Highlights: grey reef sharks, blacktip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, moray eels, grouper, snapper
- Permit: Yap's reefs and lagoon are held under customary village ownership, so diving needs the permission of the owning community, normally arranged by your dive operator. A 2017 conference presentation reported that operators pay villages access fees (e.g. US$300 per month for Goofnuw Channel, US$2 per diver at Stammtisch) and that other sites need permission but no payment. No official fee schedule could be found – ask your dive centre; the Yap Visitors Bureau can advise.
- Issuer / contact: Yap Visitors Bureau
- Phone: +691 350 5005
- Website: https://www.visityap.com
- phone from the Yap State Government notice; visityap.com blocked automated access, no official email confirmed; other notices list 350-2298
- Unverified: Position is approximate: no published GPS was found; the pin only places the site on the right part of Yap's reef (dive centre site maps are not machine-readable). Ask the dive centre for the exact mooring.
- Tips: Stay calm, keep your hands tucked in and follow the guide's briefing during the shark feed.