First time to Bonaire. Good ship wrecks?

[doctormike]

Yes indeed, Mr. Jimmy!

I didn't know that Our Confidence was still there... wasn't that the old wooden sailboat? My photography skills have improved a bit over the past 14 years...

 

[drrich2]

Off the mouth of the harbor is the Our Confidence.

I didn't know that Our Confidence was still there...

Does anyone have a recent photo of it? I visited it once briefly, with a buddy, several years ago. We fought a brisk current getting there from in front of Eden Beach Resort; my fit, slim buddy could swim into the current, I had to head to the bottom and grab a piece of dead coral rubble and pull myself along (not over live coral or such), so when we finally got there, it was a quick loop and head back. It was in sorry shape (I, too, remember it as wooden).

 

[Jersey]

My last visit to the Our Confidence was 2008. We went in North of Eden, surface swim down to site. Someone had told us exactly where to drop, boom, down there she was. Followed by a long surface swim back. I'm sure there is less of her today - time & tides, storms & surge. Sadly my photo skills are still about the same as then. I just have more gear. I do remember the site was full of rubble and trunk fish, which I love. So silly.

Coopers Barge sits about 140 foot water in front of the desal plant just up the road. It's listed in the Bonaire Reef Smart Guide.

To OP - not a real wreck destination or large stuff place to dive. We love the no-schedule unhurried pace, sleep in - it is vacation, great food, lots of friends there. We have seen sharks, rays, manta, grouper, large snapper, but they are more the exception.

 

[tursiops]

You can get to Our Confidence from Something Special by following a line on the bottom, or go in at Eden Beach and swim the contour toward the marina at about 45 ft. I dived her first in 2004 just after she sank. then every few years after that. My last dive on her was in 2015; mostly just rubble. Here are a few pix.

 

[drrich2]

You guys got me nostalgic; my snap shots aren't good, but from 3-8-2010.

My buddy, beside it, was a small guy - maybe 5 foot 7 or so? Granted, his knees are bent in the shot, but you can still get some idea of size.

 

[DXHI]

Spoke with the guy coordinating the trip. He’s going to try and get us on at least 4 wrecks the week we’re there .. but definitely already feel the “relax” vibe.

 

[cruisekingkris]

This was my first real dive trip and didn’t know anything about Bonaire. We found the wreck by accident. We just dove anywhere that trip and found what there was to find. This was in 2007. Seems like a lifetime ago. I’m going back in July. with a ton of research and reading done, I have all the info needed this time around. Hopefully

 

[gbf]

Here's a youtube video of the Coopers Barge I did in 2014 (first 2:30 is the barge, rest is the return to DFB Oasis). The bow is about 110', stern about 140'. I first dove it in 2008, then again in 2014 to see if it had changed much. Not much.

Coopers Barge

(Ignore the goofy sound of my hands-free ear clear)