USS Kittiwake dive
This is a great wreck dive in grand cayman and one of the best in the caribbean The USS Kittiwake which was sunk a little over one year and the site is maturing very well. The ship has five decks, is a little over76 meters in length amd 12 meters in beam and about 50 feet high. The ship was built specifically for performing submarine rescues and was launched on July 10, 1945 and which was sunk in Grand Cayman in January 2011.
This article provides a description of the dive, some history about the ship and information concerning the shipwreck and an synopsis of what you can find on the shipwreck. You can see the complete photo gallery on the website and see the internet blogsite article for the USS Kittiwake for additional data on the shipwreck and a history of the ship.
What you will find on the Dive:
The vessel was reefed January 5, 2011 off the north end of Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. There are 5 decks on the 47 foot tall USS Kittiwake. To meet caymanian law regarding reefed ships, a portion of the upper mast was removed. The upper decks accommodate the 2 bridges along with the radio and navigation room. The has also been removed. The Captain and executive officer's quarters are also on the upper decks. On the main deck, from bow to stern, internally you will find the rec room, mess hall, ironing room, small tool workshop and recompression chambers.. You will note the large a-frame structure on the stern which rescue divers, as well as the diving bell that was used to bring back divers to the ship and then to the recompression chambers The crews quarters, the engine room and medical facilities are located below the main deck along with , air bank storage and compressors, as well as ammunition lockers, cold storage, barber shop and other areas. While there are now a number of big access holes both vertically and horizontally, all of the space on the ship was used when she was in service. Make sure to chart your dive well. I would recommend heading to the stern prior to entry into the shipwreck to take photos around the "USS Kittiwake" logo on the stern and in addition get pictures by the screw (propeller) and rudder. For Scuba Divers that plan on entering the wreck, after you leave the stern make your way to the top of the ship then go into the main funnel which is located on the Bridge Deck. Should you not plan on entering the wreck you can start your exploration on the main deck just above the Propeller. The main funnel entry can be a great location for underwater photography . try silhouetting your dive partner in the shaft diving down into the shipwreck. You can then exit the shaft on the first platform or in the 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 will be able to see the Engineering logo in the Motor Room section. This area is easily accessible and can be a good location for a very good underwater photograph near the "Engineering Mural". The silt can be heavy here so you need to move gradually to prevent clouding up the water. For experienced wreck divers you should also check out shaft alley and the forward hold areas of the ship. For others you can view a variety of areas on the first platform and after that start going up one deck at a time and then finally coming to the Bridge (Pilot House) where you can do you safety stop as it is at about 5 to 6 meters or 15 to 18 feet.
Look at photos of other shipwrecks on http://www.stevenwsmeltzer.com or visit his blog for reviews of specific wrecks.
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