Reef Explorers
Advanced≤30 m

USS Kittiwake

Dive site in Cayman Islands

A former US Navy submarine-rescue ship sunk as an artificial reef in 2011, now home to hawksbill turtles, horse-eye jacks and barracuda.

Max depth
23 m
Level
Advanced
Best months
Dec–Apr
Entry
By boat
Current
Moderate

The story

The USS Kittiwake, a US Navy submarine rescue ship launched on 13 May 1945 and decommissioned on 30 September 1994, was sunk off Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, on 5 January 2011 in the Marine Park.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

The dive

A wreck and artificial reef dive from a boat. Known for turtles, barracuda and crustaceans.

Who it's for

Advanced≤30 mSource: blog.padi.com

Recommended minimum: Advanced (PADI Advanced Open Water, N2).

  • DepthThe usual dive goes deeper than lower certifications allow.

Conditions

Dive type
Wreck, Artificial reef
Current
Moderate
Estimated
Environment
Open water
Water
Sea water

What you might see

  • Turtles
  • Barracuda
  • Crustaceans

Season in Cayman Islands

  • Best
  • Good
  • Possible
  • Closed
  • Not documented yet

Best months: Dec–Apr.

Source: dive-the-world.com

Where is the Cayman Islands?

View on OpenStreetMapLocation: Grand Cayman (Wikipedia)Map: Natural Earth

The point shows the Cayman Islands area, not the exact dive site.

About this page

Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.

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Photo credits