PS - I like to do it at 7am or earlier before the silt-o-matic crowd starts showing up.
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Hilma Hooker
- Thread starter SailNaked
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OP
This will be my first foray into real wreck diving so i plan to do it as I would expect it is done by the professionals, a little at first with a lot of orientation and pictures for the first few times then more penetration to my cert limit of course 
I have a healthy respect for wrecks after reading some of the current popular books on the subject of the hazards of wreck diving.
Are there lines already run? I will be running my own because I need the practice and really do not trust another line that has been unattended for an unknown amount of time. I have no idea of the scope of this ship, should I have a spare tank available either onboard (side mount) or tied off at the entry? I am not deco cert. but could of course do it in an emergency as I have thoroughly studied it and the Navy tables for dives under 100 ft. I am not planning any need for it, rest assured I am taking all the proscribed precautions. and I do not expect to get lost as I will be doing staged pen. with minimum risk but you never know what to expect till you are there and I am a Noob to it.
I have a healthy respect for wrecks after reading some of the current popular books on the subject of the hazards of wreck diving. Are there lines already run? I will be running my own because I need the practice and really do not trust another line that has been unattended for an unknown amount of time. I have no idea of the scope of this ship, should I have a spare tank available either onboard (side mount) or tied off at the entry? I am not deco cert. but could of course do it in an emergency as I have thoroughly studied it and the Navy tables for dives under 100 ft. I am not planning any need for it, rest assured I am taking all the proscribed precautions. and I do not expect to get lost as I will be doing staged pen. with minimum risk but you never know what to expect till you are there and I am a Noob to it.
This will be my first foray into real wreck diving so i plan to do it as I would expect it is done by the professionals, a little at first with a lot of orientation and pictures for the first few times then more penetration to my cert limit of course
Are there lines already run? I will be running my own because I need the practice and really do not trust another line that has been unattended for an unknown amount of time. I have no idea of the scope of this ship, should I have a spare tank available either onboard (side mount) or tied off at the entry? I am not deco cert. but could of course do it in an emergency as I have thoroughly studied it and the Navy tables for dives under 100 ft. I am not planning any need for it, rest assured I am taking all the proscribed precautions. and I do not expect to get lost as I will be doing staged pen. with minimum risk but you never know what to expect till you are there and I am a Noob to it.
Note, the title of this thread is "Hilma Hooker" not "Andrea Doria"
It's a wide open ship in 100fsw with ~100' of vis. As long as you're doing the dive during the day you'll have plenty of ambient light everywhere you go. Running a reel would be more trouble than it's worth. Everything is pretty much "swim thru" so once you ran a reel in one direction you'd need to go back the same way to clean it up.
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StreetDoctor
Contributor
Are you planning on renting doubles? Personally I wouldn't be doing any penetration on a single 80 especially at 100'. Just because the water is warm and vis is good doesn't mean you can't silt it up, especially being new to penetrations. I dove it last month and my depth gauge said 101' at the sand.
KY_BOB
Contributor
I just have to throw this out. The DM at the Sand Dollar, during orientation, gave us instructions "do not penetrate the Hooker".
Personally, if your properly trained and wearing a wetsuit, I don't see a problem.
Personally, if your properly trained and wearing a wetsuit, I don't see a problem.
OP
good advice in general to wear a wet suit when penetrating the hooker. I will of course take all precautions not to acquire any disease DCS or otherwise.
PS I only sail naked, never take chances when things can bite you.
PS I only sail naked, never take chances when things can bite you.
Drewpy
Contributor
Ive gone in the holds, but not the engine room and such..Its pretty basic, not hardcore at all..I would not venture to other spots deeper inside..not trained.
I second Hermans advise..avoid the boat dive and the crowds..go early..or late!
There is a video on Utube done by Benji Shaub who is the Tech/DIR guy on the Island..just serch for Bonaire/Hilma Hooker.He ran lines and removed them as he went out.
I was amazed how quickly it is deteriorating..the other wreck in front of Harbor Village
"Our Confidence" is really in bad shape..a few years between visits and I was shocked..the whole pilot house crumbled over!
I second Hermans advise..avoid the boat dive and the crowds..go early..or late!
There is a video on Utube done by Benji Shaub who is the Tech/DIR guy on the Island..just serch for Bonaire/Hilma Hooker.He ran lines and removed them as he went out.
I was amazed how quickly it is deteriorating..the other wreck in front of Harbor Village
"Our Confidence" is really in bad shape..a few years between visits and I was shocked..the whole pilot house crumbled over!
OP
Aparently the hooker is an artificial reef, I did not know that at the begining of this thread, as such it has been cleaned. that is good since I am learning and do not need any real adventure. 
KY_BOB
Contributor
Aparently the hooker is an artificial reef, I did not know that at the begining of this thread, as such it has been cleaned. that is good since I am learning and do not need any real adventure.
Not joking for once, it has been cleaned somewhat but only by divers after sinking, not prior to sinking. It sank totally intact. It's sort of a wreck in that it sank on it's own but sort of a wreck that was placed. Search the net for the whole story but the short version is that it was caught smuggling pot and tied up to a dock. When the owner never showed up to claim it, due to fear of being arrested, the government decided to anchor it where they wanted it. It was badly leaking, so it didn't take long to go down but they couldn't intentionally sink a ship without it's owners consent. They could anchor it where they would like to have it sunk and let nature take it's course.
It's a very cool story.
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