About Us and Who We Are

Dave Vecella, most recently from the Florida Keys, has been in Yap since early 1990, diving with guests whenever he can escape the mountainous pile of paperwork on his desk and teaching a variety of dive courses as well. Dave started diving in 1981, and has been teaching diving since 1987. He's a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and he oversees the operation of Yap's Recompression Chamber. Since the advent of digital cameras, Dave has taken a keen interest in underwater photography and can often be seen on the reef with camera in hand.

Dave can be found most days at Beyond The Reef, checking on the guests, handling reservations, cleaning boats, maintaining equipment, pulling out his hair, chewing betel nut, telling awful jokes and a host of other unsavory tasks.

Morgan Tawer is a tall man with a big red smile. He's so comfortable in the water the guests sometimes mistake him for a fish. He's one of the friendliest people in Yap, and is always willing to lend a hand with camera gear, equipment, or helping people onto and off of the boat.

Morgan has gotten quite adept at finding not only the mantas but the smallest of critters as well. He'll spot things nobody else can find, and he might even pretend to see things, just to keep his guests excited :o)

Morgan has now ventured into underwater photography, and his first few times he's brought back some amazing results. So if he's pointing the lens at you, say "cheese".

Michael Knight, otherwise known as Keonie....or Roman....depending on who you're talking to, is from the remote coral island called Satawal, located 600 miles east of Yap's main island. Growing up on this small island surround by big, toothy sharks, Mike has a love and respect of the ocean commonly found among Pacific islanders. He has worked with us for several years, as well as a guide for two other dive shops in Yap. He's also an accomplished mechanic and keeps our engines running from day to day. Always one to enjoy a good chat with his guests, he has lots of great stories about growing up on Satawal. He's even got a story (funny now but not when it happened, I'm sure) about having his fingertip shot off when he worked at a shooting range in Guam a few years ago. In this photo he shows off one of his good fingers!

John Paul Rapisilmal is from Woleai Atoll, the same remote atoll where Morgan is from. In fact, they're related, although it's difficult to see any resemblance between the two.

John Paul is one of our dive guides, as well as a competent boat driver. His favorite dive is any place he can dive with the mantas. He's got an easy going attitude and like all of our guides, wants his guests to have a great time. He's hard working and friendly, and would love to show you the reefs and walls, and of course the manta rays, if you dive with us.

Nelson Eiuriunig is also from the very remote island of Satawal. There’s nothing much around the island, except lots of fish and sharks (and a heck of a lot of blue water), so you’ll know you’re safe from sharks if Nelson is your guide ‘cause he knows them all by name. Nelson’s favorite dive site is Magic Kingdom because of the “diversity of animals and things to see”, said Nelson recently.

Nelson is always standing by with a betel nut for the guests to try, so if you’d like a chew, he’s the man. And if you can pronounce his last name correctly, he might even add tobacco to the mix!