Hilma Hooker
Hilma Hooker
4.5
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4.5
240 reviews
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Wilson W
Birmingham, UK113 contributions
Sep 2019
Bonaire is an awesome place to dive because most dives are accessible from the shore after a short dive.
Its an easy walk in from the shore and a short (50m) swim on the surface to the shot line buoy. The wreck is just passed this buoy in the middle of a double reef. the fore and aft of the wreck are marked with their own marker buoys - so navigation to and from the wreck under water is fairly easy.
The wreck is in good shape. There are the regular culprits of Bonarian marine life at the wreck. The underside of the wreck also has a number of large Tarpon hiding in the shadows.
What is also good about the dive is that it slopes away so the top of the wreck is at about 18 metres, but the lowest part is at about 30 metres. Water is clear and warm - we dived in shorts and a rash vest.
Try and get there early, as it can become quite crowded during the mid morning with dive concerns converging on the wreck.
Its an easy walk in from the shore and a short (50m) swim on the surface to the shot line buoy. The wreck is just passed this buoy in the middle of a double reef. the fore and aft of the wreck are marked with their own marker buoys - so navigation to and from the wreck under water is fairly easy.
The wreck is in good shape. There are the regular culprits of Bonarian marine life at the wreck. The underside of the wreck also has a number of large Tarpon hiding in the shadows.
What is also good about the dive is that it slopes away so the top of the wreck is at about 18 metres, but the lowest part is at about 30 metres. Water is clear and warm - we dived in shorts and a rash vest.
Try and get there early, as it can become quite crowded during the mid morning with dive concerns converging on the wreck.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kacie01
Barstow, CA112 contributions
The Hilma Hooker is a wreck convienently located right at the bottom of the reef wall. It is one of many dive sites on the southern end of the western coast, but by far one of my favorites. The wreck is just a quick swim from shore, marked by bouys anchored at either end of the ship. The top of the wreck is situated from about 50-70 feet, and the bottom of the wreck at a max depth of about 100 feet. Due to the great vis, you can see the entire ship from any point, and we saw several large resident tarpon that watched us while we dove. The best way to execute this dive is do explore the far & bottom side of the wreck first, then slowly make your way back up the reef wall back towards shore to maximize your time. This site was not only interesting do to the ship, but also the larger fish varieties that live around it. This site is a must-dive!
Written March 29, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bobjones777877
Washington DC, DC64 contributions
Jul 2017 • Couples
Swim one of the marker buoys and descend on the line. Shore entry is very easy, surface swim isn't challenging. Max depth on this wreck will tend to be 90ish feet or so, though the guides say that the mast is in 120'. Nice big well-preserved wreck, can be crowded but not during the low season. One good swimthrough opportunity, though most guides recommend against entering this wreck at all.
Written August 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jay R
Ames, IA25 contributions
Mar 2020
Everything in the other reviews are right. Its a wreck dive, easy to see yada yada...but if you are working within your Recreational limits and not deep certified it may not be worth your time. Sure, you can do a "fly over" and then go look at the reef, but honestly the reef is much better in other sites and there are a lot less other people around. Our kids hadn't done a wreck dive before, so we did it. But I would skip it unless you are into wrecks or are certified deeper than rec limits.
Written March 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
westernwilson
Delta, Canada91 contributions
Jan 2012 • Family
Although the Hilma Hooker slumped on her side is not terribly lovely, having slid off her intended destination at the top of the reef wall, this is a really fun dive and offers a nicely varied experience depending on your approach.
First of all, you can on most nice, sunny days snorkel above the HH and see the hull quite clearly, which is quite thrilling. And the shelf that leads out to the drop off is great to snorkel as well. We dove here one day with our non-diver daughter and she really liked seeing the wreck.
I like approaching the wreck via the next dive site, Angel City. Drop in at the Angel City float and follow the pretty, white sand canyon over to the HH. A very nice dive, and another reason to choose a bright, sunny day...the sand is so beautiful!
Large tarpon hang out in and around the wreck, and the wall makes for a lovely, interesting browse as well. We saw our first octopus on the flats at the top of the wall, on our way back to shore.
Just watch your depths. The canyons and the lower, interesting levels of the HH are deeper than you would think. It is easy to drift downward, checking out the deck of the ship, but you can end up quite deep and get into a spot of trouble with your dive profile.
First of all, you can on most nice, sunny days snorkel above the HH and see the hull quite clearly, which is quite thrilling. And the shelf that leads out to the drop off is great to snorkel as well. We dove here one day with our non-diver daughter and she really liked seeing the wreck.
I like approaching the wreck via the next dive site, Angel City. Drop in at the Angel City float and follow the pretty, white sand canyon over to the HH. A very nice dive, and another reason to choose a bright, sunny day...the sand is so beautiful!
Large tarpon hang out in and around the wreck, and the wall makes for a lovely, interesting browse as well. We saw our first octopus on the flats at the top of the wall, on our way back to shore.
Just watch your depths. The canyons and the lower, interesting levels of the HH are deeper than you would think. It is easy to drift downward, checking out the deck of the ship, but you can end up quite deep and get into a spot of trouble with your dive profile.
Written November 22, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DavidGaryAK
United States64 contributions
May 2018 • Friends
Dove this site from a boat and from the shore. If you have the means to shore dive, it's an easy swim out to the wreck. If you're going with an arranged boat dive (in other words your dive shop found enough divers interested) it can be crowded. When we dove this from the shore, we were the only two on the wreck; cool and eerie. If shore dive, swim out to the buoy and drop, don't waste your air going under too soon.
Written September 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Isabella P
Park City, UT80 contributions
May 2015
This is an unbelievable dive! I cannot say enough amazing things about it. I went with Great Adventures Bonaire from Harbour Village and had an incredible experience. It is quite a deep dive so they were extra attentive of all the divers with us. I loved being able to swim through the wreck. I was afraid that it would be very dark and have poor visibility because of its depth but that couldn't have been farther from the truth. My boyfriend and I still rave about this dive. Such a unique experience! Can't wait to go again!
Written March 31, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin L
Stoneham, MA24 contributions
Jun 2012 • Solo
great to find large and small creatures, nice shallow wreck dive deepest point 120 ft approx. fun both day/night
Written December 7, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Freqflyer2019
California36 contributions
Mar 2012 • Couples
It has a fun history and is a fun dive, but the interior was so dark that I wish that I would have had a flashlight!
Written April 1, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John
Old Bridge, NJ6 contributions
Jul 2018
The wreck is huge if unspectacular. Saw a pair of spotted eagle rays and got some great video! The reef is very nice, can never tell what you'll see. Unfortunately the ocean does not have show times.
Written August 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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