Coral Reefs of Ulithi Atoll - Yap, Micronesia

BulBul Island and the "Blue Hole"

Just back from another week spent in part snorkeling the vibrant coral reefs of Ulithi Atoll. Ulithi is located about 90 miles East of the island of Yap located in the Federated States of Micronesia. The crystal clear waters around Ulithi make it a snorkelers ( and divers ) paradise. Healthy coral reefs provide excellent habitat for a variety of creatures and unlike many other places we still encounter reef sharks here on a regular basis.



I have been coming to this area for about 8 years now with Oceanic Society groups and this is still one of my most favorite places to explore with ecotourists. The island that we stay on, Falalop, is populated by about 400 persons. In 2005 after securing permission from the island Chief Oceanic was given the go-ahead to start bringing in small groups of ecotourists. With only about 100 visitors per year Ulithi is a location few others get the chance to explore. Below are just a few pictures from our most recent trip.




Cleaner wrasse go to work on a tilefish, the Blue Blanquillo.




A more adventurous cleaner wrasse in the mouth of a moray eel.




Here an octopus gets friendly with a lurking grouper.




Healthy reefs never fail to disappoint.




Some Fourspot Butterflyfish in search of food.




A Guineafowl puffer apparently whistling away the day.




A Peacock Razorfish moments before he disappears into the sand. Click this link to see his quick escape.


Our groups days were spent snorkeling, but this was really a trip about sea turtles. These four participants are part of a growing number of ecotourists that are taking part in what is being referred to as "voluntourism" where individuals pay to participate in conservation projects. In this case we were in Ulithi specifically to work alongside the 16 local sea turtle monitors employed by the Ulithi Marine Turtle Project. So while our days were spent searching the reefs for cool critters our nights were devoted to tagging and measuring the green sea turtles that nest on the islands of Ulithi Atoll. In the next few days I will share more about that effort.

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Ulithi Atoll - Micronesia's Snorkelers Paradise

Healthy Coral © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Ulithi Atoll is one of my favorite places to spend time in the water. The snorkeling here is incredible, with vibrant coral reefs and a diverse array of marine life, in some of the clearest water I have ever snorkeled. The clarity rivals another favorite snorkel spot, the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. This past week our intrepid group of Oceanic Society travelers left the Rock Islands of Palau flying to Yap, Micronesia. The following day we boarded a charter plane to fly 90 miles due North to the tiny island of Falalop, part of Ulithi Atoll, the second largest atoll in the Pacific. To say that Falalop is difficult to reach is an understatement. Landing on the 3000-ft. Runway we were met by a good portion of the island's 400 residents. Falalop has a small guest house and it is here that our group of 12 was based for the next four days to explore the nearby reefs and visit the community supported marine sea turtle project.

Multiple Coral Species © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Near to Falalop are an assortment of islands with spectacular coral reef ecosystems. From colorful protected lagoon reefs to outside walls that drop off steeply into cobalt blue waters our group saw sea turtles, sharks, and many fish species. With visibility generally 80-ft or more treasures were to be found all around. Over the 7 years that I have had the privilege of visiting this island and the people that call it home I have always tried to spend as much time as possible in the water. To follow is a small sample of some of the amazing marine life our group experienced on this latest trip.

Palette Surgeonfish © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Blacktip Reef Shark © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Colorful Coral © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Leopard Wrasse © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Longnose Filefish © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Massive Coral Heads - Clear Water © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Guineafowl Puffer © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Bicolor Fangblenny © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Black-Saddled Toby © 2011 Wayne Sentman

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Location:Ulithi Atoll, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia

Snorkeling the Rock Islands of Palau

Yellow Masked Angelfish © 2011 Wayne Sentman

The waters of Palau never fail to delight. I am currently leading an Oceanic Society group of 11 on a snorkeling trip to Palau, Yap, and Ulithi Atoll. We have just finished our first 4 days of snorkeling and have seen some wonderful marine critters. We have covered a lot of area and the visibility has been great. We head out for Yap later tonight and are looking forward to more of the same.

Here are some recent photos so you can get an idea of the colorful reef life that the Rock Islands of Palau have on offer.

Fire Dartfish © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Blacktip Reef Shark © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Nudibranch - Phyllidiella pustulosa © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Clown Triggerfish © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Mandarinfish © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Juvenile Barramundi © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Soft Coral Arch Palau © 2011 Wayne Sentman

Waterspout Palau May 2011 © Wayne Sentman

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Location:Koror, Palau