Our 13yr old has his Junior AOW and wants to do a wreck dive while we're in Bonaire. He can dive to 70ft max, but the Hilma Hooker is still a bit too deep for him to see much. Someone mentioned La Machaca as an alternative. Has anyone dove this site? I've seen it described as a novice site, so just wondering if this will be a fairly easy dive and easy accessible from shore. Thanks!

Yes, it is most certainly accessible from shore. It can be reached most directly from Capt. Don's dock, but it is also not too hard to reach it from Buddy's dock. It rests in about 45 feet of water on the reef slope. This is a glorified canoe, however Not much of a wreck.

You might want to consider the "Our Confidence" wreck. This site is relatively shallow. I have heard of currents, however. Perhaps someone else can chime in on this site for you....

Some informations regarding "Our Confidence" can be found here:
http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/30/323153.html?1185208889

I have only done one dive on Our Confidence and I think it is down at about 60 to 70 feet. Maybe someone can confirm.

http://www.harbourvillage.com/html04/diving.html# Has some details about the "accidental" ! sinking.


I was thinking that the Hull of the Hooker should be above the 70 feet depth level as well as the bottom is about 100 feet.

Right about Our Confidence, she's at 60-70'. The easiest way is to get in at Eden Beach and get out just past the harbor on the shore road (it's a short walk back). This is assuming a south current which is the norm for that spot. This is from March.



If you do that dive make sure you look around in the rubble. It may look like a moon scape but could not be further from the reality. I always get some of my best pictures in that area every trip.

This area can have very strong current. However, just look at the boats moored off shore and if they are perpendicular to shore you are good to go. If they are parallel to shore, try another dive site, or do the drift dive as Cecil explained. The our Confidence is an interesting wreck.

Kimberly, I'd stick with la machaca for him. Not a big boat, but it's a boat and within his depth guidlines.

it's been a couple years since i dove our confidence, I heard it's breaking up and sliding down the reef, true cecil?

I don't know about sliding but it is breaking up somewhat. This is what it looked like a couple of years ago.



You can see the wheel house and main deck has fallen off and down the slope.