Diving On The Uss Kittiwake

By Author: Sean Hamed
Total Articles: 3
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This is a great shipwreck 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 dive site is maturing well. The shipwreck has five decks, is a little over76 meters in length amd 12 meters in beam and around 50 feet high. The ship was designated for submarine rescue and was launched on July 10, 1945 and was sunk in Grand Cayman in January 2011.The following is an overview of what to expect on the dive some history about the ship and other data concerning the vessel and an guide of what one can find on the shipwreck. Plese see the entire photo gallery on the web site and/or see the internet blogsite article for the USS Kittiwake for supplementary data on the shipwreck along with a history about the ship.The Dive:The vessel was sunk In january 2011 off the north ...
... 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 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 along with the navigation and radio rooms. The sonar was also removed from the ship. The Captain and executive officer's quarters are located on the upper decks On the main deck, from bow to stern, internally you will find a number of different rooms or work areas including the recompresson chambers, the rec room and toolshop. You will also see a large a-frame structure on the stern that supported submarines and hard hat divers, as well as the diving bell which was used to retun divers to the ship and to then move to the recompression chambers 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 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 vessel was utilized when she was in service. Make sure to plan your dive adequately. I would recommend heading to the stern prior to entry into the ship to get photographs near the "USS Kittiwake" logo on the stern and also get pictures by the screw (propeller) and rudder. For Scuba Divers that intend on entering the wreck, you can then make your way to the top of the ship and go into the main funnel which is on on the Top Deck. Should you not plan on penetrating the shipwreck you can begin your exploration on the deck just above the Propeller. The main entry through the funnel makes an excellent underwater photograph . 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 cargo hold should only be entered by experienced advanced divers. 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 the subject of a especially interesting underwater photograph close to the "Engineering Mural". The sediment may be heavy at this point so you need to move gradually to prevent clouding up the water. For experienced divers you can also look at shaft alley as well as the forward hold regions of the shipwreck. For others you may check out a variety of compartments on the first platform and after that begin making your way up one deck at a time and then 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.Look at photographs of other shipwrecks on http://www.stevenwsmeltzer.com or visit his blog for evaluations of other wrecks.