Grand Cayman wreck diving - USS Kittiwake

This is the top shipwreck dive in Grand Cayman and certainly one of the top ten in the Caribbean. The USS Kittiwake was reefed a little over one year and the dive site is aging well. The ship has five decks, is 251.6 ft (76.7 m) in length, 42ft (12.8 m) in beam and approximately 50 feet high. The vessel was built specifically for submarine rescue and was christened on July 10, 1945 and was sunk in Grand Cayman nearly two years ago.

The following is a description of what to expect on the dive a little history and information on the subject of the shipwreck and an overview of what you will find on the shipwreck. Review the whole photo gallery on the web site and see the internet blogsite article for the USS Kittiwake</a> for supplementary data on the shipwreck along with a history about the ship.

What you will find on the Dive:

The boat 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 big stern a-frame have been cut downand remounted to make her height suitable for Cayman waters. The upper decks accommodatethe 2 bridges along with the radio and navigation room. The has also been removed from the ship. 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 see an 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 to then move to the recompression chambers Below the main deck, 2 decks exist that includethe crews quarter, medic/hospital station, engine and propulsion rooms, air bank storage, as well as the steering gear, shaft, gyro, ammunition lockers, cold storage and barber shop to name a few areas. While there are now a number of big access holes in the sides of the ship, every space on the ship was used while in service. Make it a point to plan your dive adequately. The best approach would be to begin at the stern before entry into the shipwreck to take photographs near the "USS Kittiwake" logo on the the backof the ship and in addition get pictures by the screw (propeller) and rudder. For Scuba Divers that plan on penetrating the wreck, you can then make your way to the top of the ship and enter via the main funnel which is on on the Top Deck. Should you not intend on entering the wreck you may begin your investigation of the ship on the deckjust abovethe Screw.. The main entry through the funnel makes an excellentunderwater photograph Try silhouetting your dive partner in the shaft diving down into the wreck. You can exit into the ship on several of the decks including the first platform or in the hold. The cargo hold should only be entered by experienced advanced divers. On the first platform you can see the Engineering logo in the Motor room. This area is easily accessible and can be a goodlocation for a incredibly interesting underwater photo close to the Engineering Mural. The sediment can be substantial at this point so you need to move slowly to prevent stirring up the sediment. For advanced wreck divers you can also check out shaft alley as well as the front hold regions of the ship. For other divers you can check out the assorted areas on the first platform and after that start making your way up deck by deck until finally coming to the Bridge (Pilot House) where you can do your safety stop as it is at about 5 to 6 meters or 15 to 18 feet.

Look at images of the USS Kittiwake and additional shipwrecks on http://www.stevenwsmeltzer.com or visit his blog for reviews of specific wrecks.

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