Hilma Hooker Traditional Geocache
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Out of the two million plus geocaches worldwide, this cache was chosen "Geocache of the Week" on 7 September 2016. Yippee! Anyway, the coordinates will take you to the shipwreck buoys; however, the actual cache is almost 100’ under water at the actual shipwreck. The log is in the sand under the yard arm of the ship’s main mast. Also, the underwater nature of this cache does not permit swag, so please do not leave any items.
The Hilma Hooker is a 236 foot cargo ship built in Holland in 1951. She has had several names including including the Midsland, Mistral, William Express, Anna and Doric Express. In 1984, the Hilma Hooker was towed to Bonaire’s port after suffering mechanical difficulties off the island’s coast. When Customs discovered she was without papers and that the FBI had been tracking her for suspected narcotics transport, they searched the vessel and found over 25,000 pounds of marijuana hidden behind a false bulkhead. The Hooker remained in port for several months while Customs attempted to locate the owner; however, no one really expected the owner to claim her. Meanwhile, the ship's hull was leaking placing her at risk of sinking and clogging up the port. In order to mitigate this risk and help Bonaire’s SCUBA diving industry, the government decided to tow the Hilma Hooker and moor her near the Angel City dive site. Only five days after reaching her mooring on 2 September 1984, she sank to her final home at the base of a reef in 90 feet of water. Some would say the rest is history; however, local rumor has it the Hooker did not sink without assistance. A confidential source claims to have witnessed a luminescent wake cut through the water just before the Hooker sank. This would be consistent with a torpedo from the WW II German submarine U-156, which went missing after attempting to blow up the Aruba refinery in 1942. Makes you think!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ernq Wbua 8:6 naq Wbua 8:8 va gur Ovoyr