Naval Sub to Become Dive Site in Grand Cayman

The USS Kittiwake, a decommissioned naval submarine rescue ship used in World War II, will be sunk in 65 feet of water off the north end of Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach this summer to create a new dive and snorkel site.

The five-deck, 2,200-ton, 215-foot military vessel will join the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts, a Russian frigate sunk off the coast of Cayman Brac in 1996, as part of the artificial reef movement in the Caribbean.

The Kittiwake left the James River Reserve Fleet in St. Eustis, Va., in February and was towed to Grand Cayman after being cleaned. Prior to sinking, all hazardous materials and chemicals will be removed, and multiple cutouts will open up the ship to allow in natural light.

The top of the bridge and smoke stack will only be 20 feet from the surface, “which makes it perfect for snorkelers,” according to Nancy Esterbrook, Kittiwake project manager.

Divers will be able to view the recompression chamber, air bank storage, engine room and dive locker. Once it is sunk, the ship will be marked so that boat operators and divers/snorkelers can easily identify where they are on the ship.

The Kittiwake was selected for the reef project due to its size, height and weight. This type of ship will have the longest life underwater and will be less susceptible to breakup and damage from storms, Esterbrook said.