Hilma Hooker

The Caribbean's most storied easy-access wreck. The 71.78 m Dutch-built freighter Hilma Hooker (ex-Midsland, 1951) was towed into Kralendijk with engine trouble in 1984, searched, and found to be hiding roughly 11,000 kg of marijuana behind a false bulkhead. Detained and neglected, she flooded and rolled under on 12 September 1984, settling on her starboard side on the sand flat between the two reef ridges. Today her port hull rail sits at about 18 m and the sand at about 30 m, with tarpon and barracuda patrolling holds now crusted in sponges and coral. Divable from shore or boat; the shallow first reef makes a natural safety stop.