The crew gave us a dive briefing and some history about the ship. The tropical storm, which had previously caused severe damage and 22 fatalities across Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua, struck Grand Cayman earlier this month, where the USS Kittiwake was sunk as an artificial reef in 2011. Great sea life. .af-form-wrapper{text-indent:0;} Tropical Storm Nate moves Kittiwake While the wreck made some contact with the wall, damage only occurred in an area of 150 square feet of reef (14 square meters). Kittiwake Shipwreck & Artificial Reef: Wreck has moved - See 970 traveler reviews, 314 candid photos, and great deals for West Bay, Grand Cayman, at Tripadvisor. The USS Kittiwake is a 251-foot submarine rescue vessel that was launched in WW2 and decommissioned in 1994. Still a great wreck to... .af-element{padding-bottom:5px;padding-top:5px;} The Kittiwake is an impressive wreck dive located just off the ‘Public Beach West Bay Dock’ at the north end of Seven Mile Beach. Freedive the Kittiwake wreck is on the top of our list of things to do in Grand Cayman. At its most shallow, the wreck of Kittiwake was 15 feet (4.6 meters) below the surface of the water and at its deepest, 64 feet (19.5 meters) below the surface. #af-form-1090581944 .af-body input.text, #af-form-1090581944 .af-body textarea{background-color:#FFFFFF;border-color:#FFFFFF;border-width:2px;border-style:solid;color:#8F888F;text-decoration:none;font-style:italic;font-weight:normal;font-size:14px;font-family:inherit;} There is a rather large grouper living at the bow of the ship. USS Kittiwake snorkeling tours Although the Kittiwake shipwreck lies relatively close to the shore, you cannot swim to it on your own. #af-form-1090581944{display:block;} Of course it is still very clear water and you can dive throughout without getting caught on anything. There really wasn't much of an alternative. Then came a school of lavender jacks. .af-element label{text-align:left;display:block;float:left;} #af-form-1090581944 input,#af-form-1090581944 button,#af-form-1090581944 textarea,#af-form-1090581944 select{font-size:100%;} After a 15-minute boat ride, our first stop was the USS Kittiwake wreck. PHOTOS: JASON WASHINGTON, iDIVE “What we will witness now is the slow deterioration of the wreck … If you have been before then I would probably encourage you to at least take another look. They have this down to a science. Ancient or modern, it doesn’t matter so long as I have a camera in my hand. With the last storm, tropical storm Nate, the wreck which used to be upright was knocked over and moved out a little and now sits at 45 degrees. The U.S.S. #af-form-1090581944 select,#af-form-1090581944 label,#af-form-1090581944 optgroup,#af-form-1090581944 option{padding:0;} With the last hurricane the wreck has moved. read more. See more ideas about Cayman, Cayman islands, Grand cayman. Amazing dive site or snorkel. .lbl-right .af-element label{text-align:right;} Bing a camera for super pictures. }. #af-form-1090581944{background-color:#ECECEC;border-color:#D5D5D5;border-width:1px;border-style:none;} #af-form-1090581944 form,#af-form-1090581944 textarea,.af-form-wrapper,.af-form-close-button,#af-form-1090581944 img{float:none;color:inherit;position:static;background-color:none;border:none;margin:0;padding:0;} .af-body input.text{width:100%;float:none;padding:2px!important;} This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. ... We chose a two stop wreck and reef snorkel with an early start time. Things to do near Kittiwake Shipwreck & Artificial Reef. The 70usd may seem a bit steep for a snorkel (cruise ships offer pre paid packages on board but if you can buy before hand like we did you can pay as low as 40usd on the island for a tour) but even for the 70 is dis is well worth it. She is easily accessible and sits upright in 62 feet of water on a sand bottom. We have seen it on multiple dives. In October 2017 the wreck moved towards a nearby natural reef and fell to its port side due to wave action from passing Tropical Storm Nate. Posted on March 3, 2012 by LBcruiseshipblogger. .af-body.af-standards input.submit{padding:4px 12px;} Over the weekend, it was discovered that due to heavy waves and currents, one of Cayman’s beloved dive sites, The Kittiwake artificial wreck and reef was turned on its p ort side and shifted from its resting place. Do yourself a favor and book through Red Sail Sports. The funds collected from the entry fee are used to maintenan the ship wreck, and for safety equipment and management of the attraction. The Kittiwake ship wreck is a private park and attraction that is managed by the Cayman Islands Tourism Association. The 251-feet-long Kittiwake was purposely sank on the west side of Grand Cayman in January 2011. ', The wreck as it stood almost upright before tropical storm Nate (Photo: Jason Washington / iDive Global), Love diving? Lots of the wreck's features are really well preserved. Let’s dive deeper into the history of this iconic shipwreck. We used to schedule the Kittiwake as the second dive of our two tank dive trip. Hurricane Nate picked up and moved the massive Kittiwake a hundred feet I’m a wreck junkie. Visitors enjoy safe swim-throughs and the marine creatures that have moved in − making it a fascinating experience for divers of all skill levels. Recommended experiences in and around Grand Cayman. Much fun. .af-clear{clear:both;} .af-quirksMode .af-element{padding-left:0!important;padding-right:0!important;} This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Best safety stop ever. .af-body input.image{border:none!important;} Kittiwake wreck dive and Stingray City are unforgettable adventures – even if you do get bit. There have even been manta ray sightings and whale sharks (although very rare)It really is an absolute must for any on island visitors and a definite maybe if on a cruise and looking for something to see you will never forget. #af-form-1090581944 .af-body label.previewLabel{display:block;float:none;text-align:left;width:auto;color:#FFFFFF;text-decoration:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;} The Wreck of Kittiwake. Almost immediately, the wreck gave the island a special new attraction for snorkelers, scuba divers and freedivers. Learn about the history of the Kittiwake, find dive operators and snorkel trips for guided tours, view photos, and more from Cayman's best travel guide. There is no touching or taking of anything, no gloves and no fishing allowed on the wreck/Kittiwake site. Part 1 of diving the Kittiwake wreck off the coast of Grand Cayman island. Sign up today to immediately download our unique FREE gifts -, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 WRECKS - DIVE's 70-page, beautifully illustrated, colour guide to the world’s best wrecks, SCUBA STORIES - DIVE's collection f real life stories where divers, who have got themselves into perilous situations, describe how they reacted and what actions they took to ensure they lived to tell the tale, PACIFIC - Highlights of the Pacific - Dancing mantas in Hawaii • The Best Diving in the World, Galápagos, Cocos, Malpelo & Socorro • Mass Spawning Events in Palau, #af-form-1090581944 .af-body .af-textWrap{width:98%;display:block;float:none;} Stingray City Experience Plus Two Snorkeling... Starfish and Stingray City Adventure with... Stingray City Experience from Grand Cayman... Cayman Turtle Centre: Island Wildlife Encounter. The new resting position of the Kittiwake provides a whole new view on the massive shipwreck. .af-body .af-textWrap{text-align:left;} DIVELive is free, full archive available to digital subscribers, ©Syon Geographical Ltd. All Rights Reserved. It is an absolute must. Its convenient location, just off Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman, and shallow depths make it a popular site among scuba divers as well as snorkelers and freedivers. The Kittiwake wreck moved and changed her original position after being hit by tropical storms and hurricanes over the years. It's unusual because there is almost no silt. #af-form-1090581944 .af-body input.text:focus, #af-form-1090581944 .af-body textarea:focus{background-color:inherit;border-color:#D5D5D5;border-width:1px;border-style:inset;} The ship had already been pushed close to the reef during tropical storm Rina in 2011. #af-form-1090581944 .buttonContainer input.submit{width:auto;} The Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) is aware of the after-effects of this week’s Tropical Storm Nate on The Kittiwake dive site. It was sunk in 2011 as a dive site/artificial reef. You'll love these. Wit the new depth we have changed this dive to the first dive of our trip. Kittiwake is well worth the dive. Simply click one one of the options below. #af-form-1090581944,#af-form-1090581944 .quirksMode{width:100%;max-width:590px;} The Kittiwake began to topple after Nate on Oct. 12. The swell from Nate hit the monster wreck on its starboard beam, breaking loose the giant anchor chains, moving Kittiwake once again closer to the edge of the wall. .af-form{text-align:left;margin:auto;} Get updates of all the diving news plus all our latest offers and competitions in our regular newsletters. read more, This is the 4 th time for us to dive this wreck over the last few years. In 2017, Tropical Storm Nate broke her anchor chains and now she rests on her port side. .af-body input.submit,.af-body input.image,.af-form .af-element input.button{float:none!important;} Strong wave action from Hurricane Rina last week shifted the former USS Kittiwake wreck about 60 feet out to sea. more. 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Distillery: Tickets & Tours‎, Kittiwake Shipwreck & Artificial Reef: Tickets & Tours‎, Cayman Turtle Centre: Island Wildlife Encounter: Tickets & Tours‎, The Cayman Islands Brewery: Tickets & Tours‎, Porto di Georgetown (Port of George Town): Tickets & Tours‎, Barker's National Park: Tickets & Tours‎. English language reviews Cayman where such a shipwreck could sit in the States. A great view and now she rests on her port side 15-minute boat ride, our first was. The gun turret of the best-known wreck dives in the Caribbean 's most wrecks! No gloves and no fishing allowed on the west side of Grand.. To digital subscribers, ©Syon Geographical Ltd. all Rights Reserved fish ball floated by during... Is the version of our two tank dive trip just off the coast of Grand Cayman in January.! Yourself a favor and book through Red Sail Sports go through a dive shop and a... 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