This dive site is the Hilma Hooker, a historic 236-foot Dutch freighter purposefully sunk in 1984 off the coast of Bonaire after a past life as a drug runner. It has since become the most iconic and popular wreck dive in the region. The wreck rests between two coral reefs at a manageable maximum depth of 27 meters, making it relatively straightforward to navigate with its intact structure providing clear swim-throughs and photographic opportunities.
Living in and around the Hilma Hooker are diverse marine species. Divers can expect to encounter nurse and reef sharks, the occasional majestic eagle ray, and various turtles. The wreck is teeming with schools of fish, including snapper, angelfish, grunts, and grouper, alongside numerous anemones and other invertebrate life that have colonized the vessel.
The best time to visit Bonaire, and by extension the Hilma Hooker, is typically year-round due to its consistently warm water and calm conditions, though the dry season from April to November offers slightly less rain. This site is excellent for freedivers given its maximum depth of 27 meters and clear visibility. For scuba divers, practicing good buoyancy control is crucial to avoid disturbing the wreck and its delicate ecosystem.
