their body, or that they do it just for fun (cayman.org). People have reported that they have seen the manta rays jump 15 feet out of the water (Reef Briefs). One of the most famous places to see manta rays up close is at Yap Island, which is in the southwest corner of Micronesia, near Guam. This island was one of the first places that people were able to get close enough to photograph the manta rays. As soon as divers heard of this they went there to see the mantas for themselves. Because of this many of the dive masters there were afraid that the influx of divers would scare the mantas away, but the exact opposite happened. The manta rays were curious of the divers and came closer to them than before. Over the years the island has reported an increase on the number of manta rays seen on daily dive trips. A scientist named Bill Acker believes that mantas are attracted to Yap Island because it has shallow inner land mangroves, which are a perfect birthing area for the females. This has made the island one of the best places to dive with the manta rays (Murphy 42). The largest and most rare species of manta rays, Manta Alfredi, or Prince Alfred’s Manta Ray, is known to hang around the Yap Islands. It was named after “Prince Alfred Ernest (1844-1900), the fourth child of Queen Victoria of Great Britain” (tripod.com). This ray closely resembles the other manta rays with the exception of irregular black-gray spots on its underside, and the fact that its wingspan is at least 12 feet (tripod.com).In conclusion, the manta ray is one of the most graceful, and gentle creatures of the sea, which has become a favorable attraction for divers. Its enormous size perplexes the mind as it flies through the water. The more that I researched the manta rays, the more that I wanted to go diving with them. What I learned from this paper will give me a better understanding of where and when the best times are to dive with them, whi...
