Wreck diving Grand Cayman - USS Kittiwak
This is the top shipwreck dive in Grand Cayman and one of the best in the Caribbean. The USS Kittiwake which was sunk a less than two years ago and the dive site is maturing well. The ship has five decks, is 251.6 ft (76.7 m) in length, 42ft (12.8 m) in beam and about 50 feet high. The vessel was designated specifically for performing submarine rescues and was launched on July 10, 1945 and was sunk in Grand Cayman on January 5, 2011.
The following is a description of what to expect on the dive some history about the ship and information regarding the ship and an guide of what one can find on the wreck. Plese see the whole photo gallery on the web site and see the internet blogsite article for the USS Kittiwake for additional data on the wreck along with a history of the ship.
What you will find on the Dive:
The vessel was sunk In january 2011 off the west side of the island at the end of Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. There are 5 decks on the 47 foot tall USS Kittiwake. Externally, the crow's nest, mast and large stern a-frame have been cut down and remounted to make her height suitable for Cayman waters. The are two bridges on the upper decks (both an external and internal bridge to allow operations in heavy seas) along with the navigation and radio rooms. The sonar was also removed from the ship. The Captain and executive officer's quarters are located on the upper decks On the main deck, from bow to stern, internally you will find a number of different rooms or work areas including the recompresson chambers, the rec room and toolshop. You will also see a large a-frame structure on the stern that rescue divers, along with the diving bell where divers would enter to return to the ship from the ocean and then be placed in the chambers for decompression. Below the main deck, 2 decks exist that include the crews quarter, medic/hospital station, engine and propulsion rooms, air bank storage and compressors, in addition to the steering gear, shaft, gyro, ammunition lockers, cold storage and barber shop to name a few areas. While the USS Kittiwake has been opened up with big access holes in the sides of the ship, all of the space on the ship was used when the boat was in service. Make it a point to plan your dive adequately. I would recommend heading to the stern before entry into the vessel to take photos near the "USS Kittiwake" logo on the the backof the ship and in addition get photos by the screw (propeller) and rudder. For Divers that intend on entering the wreck, you can then make your way to the top of the ship and go into the main funnel that is on on the Top Deck. If you do not intend on entering the shipwreck you should start your investigation of the ship on the main deck just above the Screw.. The funnel entry can be a great location for underwater photography . try silhouetting your dive partner in the shaft diving down into the wreck. You can then exit the shaft on the first platform or in the cargo hold. The hold does not have any exterior exits and should only be entered by advanced divers. When you exit to the first platform you can see the Engineering emblem in the Motor Room section. This area is easily accessible and can be the subject of a very interesting underwater photograph close to the "Engineering Mural". The sediment may be heavy at this point so you should move gradually to avoid stirring up the sediment. For advanced wreck divers you can also look at shaft alley and the forward hold areas of the shipwreck. For others you can check out the various compartments on the first platform and after that begin making your way up one deck at a time until finally arriving at the Bridge (Pilot House) where you can do your safety stop.
Check out images of other shipwrecks on http://www.stevenwsmeltzer.com or visit his blog for reviews of other shipwrecks.
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