On August 4, 2003 the 60-foot historic vessel, Our Confidence, unexpectedly sank 55 feet to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. The boat now lies just 150 feet west of Harbour Village Beach Club, inadvertently creating a new site for divers to explore.
The boat began to sink while tied in its slip at the Harbour Village Marina. “After trying unsuccessfully to contact authorities, I made the decision to tow the boat out to deeper water,” said Harbour Village Marina Manager Carlos Rodriguez. “We’d already salvaged the boat once before when it sank less than two months ago and ruined a lot of equipment in the process. I didn’t want to take that risk again and saw this as the best option to keep the marina operable.”
Harbour Village’s
dive boat, the Harbour Queen, was used to tow the vessel out into deeper water until it began to be weighed down by the water filled hull of the sinking Our Confidence. The ropes were cut free and the boat descended to its current resting place, just west of Harbour Village Beach Club. Although the loss of the boat was regrettable, the historic ship will now be preserved as an underwater monument. 
Our Confidence sank in a semi upright position with the top of the mast just 22 feet below the surface.  Fish have taken up residence in the sunken vessel and the clear water and its proximity to the surface make the shipwreck an underwater wonder for divers and snorkelers alike.
In addition to being a great new dive site, the wreck is also a significant part of history. The Our Confidence was first a Danish fishing boat, followed by a transport for World War II refugees, then a Caribbean inter-island freighter and finally the first vessel to bring aid to the victims of a hurricane that devastated St. Maarten.
Bonaire, surrounded by white powder beaches and crystal clear waters, has always been at the top of the list for divers - and now there is one more dive (or snorkel) site to visit at this breathtaking destination.
Resort Information
Harbour Village is comprised of the luxury resort, Harbour Village Beach Club, the affordable 21-room Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club, two restaurants, a 64-slip marina, state of the art meeting rooms, fitness facilities and multiple real estate opportunities. Newly renovated, the Harbour Village Beach Club offers the only beachfront villas available in Bonaire, as well as one and two bedroom suites and marina/courtyard rooms. Nearby Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club offers ideal accommodations for budget travelers and divers with a lower price point and easy access to the marina and dive boats. Harbour Village offers the casual beachfront elegance of the Dutch Caribbean and an elegant blend of old island charm and luxurious comforts. Nestled among a lushly landscaped four-acre peninsula, a white sand private beach and marina, the resort is located on the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire.
Related Story on Caribbean Weekly:
(04/09/03) Bonaire Acquire fresh Dive Site
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