Wreck diving Grand Cayman - USS Kittiwak

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 site is aging 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 designated specifically for submarine rescue and was launched on July 10, 1945 and she was reefed in Grand Cayman in January 2011.

The following is an overview of the dive,  some history about the ship and information on the subject of the vessel and an guide of what you will see on the shipwreck.  You can see the complete [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 additional information on the wreck plus a history about 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 [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000Wcb0w0RopvI 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 has also been removed. The Captain and XO's quarters are located on the upper decks

The main deck contains a number of different rooms or work areas including the recompresson chambers, the rec room and toolshop. You will note the large [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000nrOSPnFJRtU a-frame structure] on the stern which supported submarines and hard hat divers, as well as 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,[http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000QmV9jUuDJyQ  air bank storage] and compressors, as well as 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] both vertically and horizontally, all of the space on the ship was utilized when the boat was in service.

Make sure to plan your dive well. One approach would be to begin at the stern before entry into the vessel to take photographs near the[http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000MlfKl.47lgI  "USS Kittiwake" logo] on the the backof the ship and also get photographs by the screw (propeller) and rudder.  For Divers that intend on entering the shipwreck, you can then make your way to the top of the ship and go into  the funnel which is located on the Bridge Deck.  Should you not plan on entering the shipwreck you can begin your investigation of the ship on the main deck just above the Screw..

The [http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000ndu7PcxF.bM entry through the funnel can be a great location for underwater photography] 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 cargo hold.  The cargo hold should only be entered by experienced advanced divers.  When you exit to 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 very interesting underwater photograph close to the "[http://stevenwsmeltzer.com/gallery-image/USS-Kittiwake-Grand-Cayman/G0000JtpXOPWAQac/I0000Y0UeUwX5JJc Engineering Mural]".  The sediment can be substantial here so you should move gradually to prevent clouding up the water.  For experienced divers you should also check out shaft alley and the front hold areas of the ship.  For other divers you may view a variety of areas on the first platform and after that start going  up deck by deck until finally arriving at 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 additional [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 other wrecks.