Deep Blue Divers is proud to be one of the few dive operators licensed
to use Grand Cayman's newest water sports attraction, the USS Kittiwake, which opened January 6th 2011. The wreck of the USS Kittiwake and the surrounding area is designated a marine wildlife area dedicated for the use of snorkeling and scuba diving.
WHAT MAKES THE USS KITTIWAKE SO SPECIAL
- 251 feet long with a 42 foot beam making it one of the largest shipwreck attractions anywhere
- Five open decks for access into the wreck (wreck diving specialty required)
- 5 mooring balls from the bow to the stern of the ship providing space for multiple boats
- Open during the day and for night dives
- Beautiful artificial reef for snorkeling
SHIP WRECK DIVING
To experience the USS Kittiwake you do not need any special training. Diving at the wreck is open to all levels of dive experience. Come explore this simple and safe wreck guided by the Deep Blue team!
USS KITTIWAKE HISTORY
Designed as a submarine supply ship, the USS Kittiwake was built in Savannah, Georgia, USA. It launched on July 10th, 1945 and was assigned to support and rescue duty with Submarine Squadron 6. In the 1950's she was stationed in the Atlantic and served "silent service" ships. In July of 1960 the USS Kittiwake stood ready to assist the George Washington, which launched the first successful Polaris ballistic missiles.
During the 1960's she continued to support submarines in Rota, Spain, and Greece. She then assisted with search and recovery of torpedoes while stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. In late 1965 the Kittiwake assisted in the recovery of a German submarine (S-171).
In 1984 the Kittiwake collided with the the attack submarine USS Bergall. The cause was a miss-wired main drive which caused it to operate in the opposite direction than expected. The bridge personnel saw the submarine approaching and ordered an increase in speed to avoid the collision. This resulted in the stern of the Kittiwake hitting the Bergall's sonar dome.
The USS Kittiwake was decommissioned on September 30, 1994 and then purchased by the Cayman Islands government in 2004. In July 2010 she was sunk off the west coast of Grand Cayman and became an artificial reef. Come and explore this amazing historical wreck dive today!
info@DeepBlueDiversCayman.com