Uss Kittiwake Dive
This is the top wreck dive in Grand Cayman and one of the top ten in the Caribbean
. The USS Kittiwake was reefed a less than two years ago and the shipwreck site is aging well. The shipwreck 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 submarine rescue and was launched on July 10, 1945 and she was reefed in Grand Cayman on January 5, 2011.
This article provides a description of what to expect on the dive some history and other information about the shipwreck and an overview of what one can find on the wreck. Review the complete
photo gallery on the website and see the blog entry for the
USS Kittiwake for additional information on the shipwreck and a history about the ship.
The Dive:
The ship was sunk January 5, 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. To meet caymanian requirements for wrecks, a portion of the upper mast was removed. The upper decks accommodate the 2 bridges along with the navigation and radio rooms. The sonar has been removed from the ship. The Captain and executive officer's quarters are also on the upper decks.
The main deck contains the mess hall, toolshop, recompression chambers and rec room. You will note the large
a-frame structure on the stern that supported submarines and hard hat 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 ammunition lockers, cold storage, barber shop and other areas. While there are now a number of large
access holes in the sides of the ship, all of the space on the ship was utilized when she was in service.
Be sure to lay out your dive well. One approach would be to begin at the stern prior to entering into the ship to get photos near the
"USS Kittiwake" logo on the stern and in addition get photos by the propeller. For Divers that intend on penetrating the shipwreck, after you leave the stern make your way to the top of the ship and enter via the funnel that is located on the Top Deck. If you do not intend on penetrating the wreck you should start your investigation of the ship on the 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 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. On the first platform you will see the Engineering logo in the Motor Room section. This section can be accessed easily and can be the subject of a extremely good underwater photo close to the "
Engineering Mural". The sediment can be substantial here so you need to move gradually to prevent clouding up the water. For experienced divers you should also look at shaft alley and the front hold areas of the shipwreck. For others you may check out a variety of areas on the first platform and after that start making your way up one deck at a time until 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 photographs of additional
shipwrecks on http://www.stevenwsmeltzer.com or visit his
blog for critiques of other shipwrecks.
by: cindyudi
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