Diving on the USS Kittiwake

This is a great wreck dive in grand cayman and one of the best in the caribbean The USS Kittiwake has been on the reef for a about 18 months ago and the shipwreck site is maturing well.  The ship has five decks, is a little over76 meters in length amd 12 meters  in beam and around 50 feet high.  The vessel was built 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 an overview of what to expect on the dive  a little history and other data about the vessel and an synopsis of what one can find on the shipwreck.  You can see the whole [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery/Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/ photo gallery]  on the website and see the blog article for the [http://blog.stevenwsmeltzer.com/dive-site-reviews-and-listings/dive-sites/scuba-diving-grand-cayman-uss-kittiwake-shipwreck/  USS Kittiwake] for more information on the wreck and a history of the ship.

The Dive site:

The ship was  reefed 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 [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000Wcb0w0RopvI USS Kittiwake]. To meet caymanian requirements for wrecks, a portion of the upper mast was removed. 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. The Captain and XO's quarters are also on the upper decks.

The main deck contains the mess hall, toolshop, recompression chambers and rec room. You will see an  [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000nrOSPnFJRtU a-frame structure] on the stern that rescue divers, along with the diving bell which was used to retun 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 ,[http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000QmV9jUuDJyQ  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[http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000evHtkg3GaYQ  access holes] in the sides of the ship, every space on the ship was used when the boat was in service.

Be sure to plan your dive well. One approach would be to begin at the stern before entering into the shipwreck to get pictures around the[http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000MlfKl.47lgI  "USS Kittiwake" logo] on the stern and also get photos by the screw (propeller) and rudder.  For Divers that plan on penetrating the wreck, you can then make your way to the top of the ship then go into  the main funnel that is on on the Top Deck.  Should you not plan on entering the shipwreck you may start your exploration on the main deck just above the Screw..

The main [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000ndu7PcxF.bM funnel entry makes an excellent underwater photograph] and I would suggest taking the photo looking up from the bottom of the funnel to the top of the funnel.  I would suggest silhouetting one of your dive buddies diving down into the shipwreck.  You can exit into the ship on several of the decks including the first platform or in the hold.  Note the hold deck does not have any exterior exit points and is not recommended for divers that do not have an advanced certification and prior wreck experience.  When you exit to the first platform you will be able to see the Engineering emblem in the Motor Room section.  This area is easily accessible and can be a good location for a especially interesting underwater photograph close to the "[http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000Y0UeUwX5JJc Engineering Mural]".  The sediment can be substantial in this location so you must move slowly to avoid stirring up the sediment.  For advanced divers you should also look at shaft alley and the front hold regions of the ship.  For others you can explore the various areas on the first platform and then begin going  up deck by deck 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.

Review photos of other [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery/Shipwrecks/G0000OtMyTETA74I/ shipwrecks] on  http://www.stevenwsmeltzer.com or visit  his [http://blog.stevenwsmeltzer.com/dive-site-reviews-and-listings/dive-sites/scuba-diving-grand-cayman-uss-kittiwake-shipwreck/ blog] for critiques of specific wrecks.