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Kittiwake is a boat accessible salt water dive site, located in West Bay, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. This dive site has an average rating of 4.54 out of 5 from 24 scuba divers. The maximum depth is 61-70ft/19-21m. The average visibility is 101-110ft/31-34m.

You can snorkel overhead and see the main decks and topography of the ship plus take a look down the smoke stack that opens up straight down to the bottom of the hull and the engine rooms. There is no end of rooms to explore this wreck, that will soon enough become an artificial reef, enhancing the marine environment with new fishery stock and habitats for marine life.

The Kittiwake is situated in marine park that is protected under law in Cayman, with no touching or taking of anything, no gloves allowed and no fishing allowed on the wreck/Kittiwake site. It requires an entrance fee to visit from a licensed operator, with the fees going towards the ongoing maintenance and protection of the new artificial wreck/reef plus natural reefs. An exception to taking fish is made for culling lion fish, an invasive species to Cayman waters.

Ex-USS Kittiwake ASR 13 - Chanticleer Class Submarine Rescue Ship ASR

Built by: Savannah Machinery and Foundary Co of Savannah, Georgia, USA

  • Keel Laid: 5th January 1945
  • Launched: 10th July 1945
  • Commissioned: 16th July 1945
  • Decommissioned: 30th September 1994
  • Displacement: 2290 TONS
  • Dimensions: 251 Ft Length - 42 Ft Beam - 15 Ft Draft
  • Machinery: Diesel Electric Propulsion - 1 Shaft - 3000 BHP for 15 Kts
  • Complement: 85 Officers and Sailors
Ex-USS Kittiwake:

The ex-USS Kittiwake was a Submarine Rescue vessel (ASR-13). She was part of the 6th Submarine squadron (SUBRON 6) home ported at the Destroyer-Submarine piers in Norfolk, VA.

Dive Site Map

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Comments

GC2197 - 11/08/2019 10:25 AM
I went scuba diving here on 10/24/2019. Average viz: 131-140ft/40-43m. Water temp: Over 85°F/29°C.
egunnison - 1/24/2019 10:29 AM
I went scuba diving here on 3/5/2002. Average viz: 91-100ft/28-30m. Water temp: 76-80°F/24-27°C.
-JD- - 6/02/2018 11:43 AM
Rating Added: 4
Awesome for our final OW checkout dive for my son and me. Massive (resident?) grouper. Cant wait to get back and explore it more.
BradApril - 2/19/2017 11:19 AM
I went scuba diving here on 2/15/2017. Average viz: 141-150ft/43-46m. Water temp: 76-80°F/24-27°C.
Jesse_Potter - 10/07/2016 5:44 PM
I went scuba diving here on 10/7/2016. Average viz: 51-60ft/16-18m.
RustyBones - 9/10/2016 2:18 PM
I went scuba diving here on 9/7/2016. Average viz: 61-70ft/19-21m. Water temp: 81-85°F/27-29°C.
Super nice wreck /reef dive. 65+ visibility, no current and fun swim throughs. Went with DiveTech @ lighthouse point. Great operation, I was only on Cayman for a few hours so I did a one tank dive with Mark, we were the only people on the wreck so we could take our time with no chance of getting silted in.
RustyBones - 9/10/2016 2:16 PM
I went scuba diving here on 9/7/2016.
Super nice wreck /reef dive. 65+ visibility, no current and fun swim throughs. Went with DiveTech @ lighthouse point. Great operation, I did a one tank dive with Mark, we were the only people on the wreck so we could take our time with no chance of getting silted in.
mangoman1 - 7/09/2016 12:47 PM
I went scuba diving here on 6/30/2016. Average viz: 101-110ft/31-34m. Water temp: 81-85°F/27-29°C.
Dove with Deep Down/Cayman Diving in Grand Cayman. My kids & I along with 1 other diver were the only divers on the boat with 2 DMs. Great dives!
NCDIVER64 - 7/07/2016 8:40 PM
Rating Added: 4
Was a honor to see her still serving divers as she did while on active duty ! Lots of fish and loads of divers around. Dive master kind of rushed the dive, but still a great time. Ready to do this one again.
Fezz - 6/29/2016 11:30 AM
I went scuba diving here on 6/23/2016. Average viz: 71-80ft/22-24m. Water temp: 81-85°F/27-29°C.
DolphinLover - 3/26/2016 6:23 PM
Got married on the beach in Grand Cayman on June 8th 2015. My husband is a relatively new scuba diver and we drive the kittiwake. He absolutely loved it. The weather was great and I could have had a better time is my new permanent dive buddy. =)
ScubaDabaDo - 3/27/2016 12:19 AM
Congratulations Guys!
DolphinLover - 3/27/2016 12:41 AM
Thank you. =)
ScubaDabaDo - 3/02/2016 3:29 AM
Rating Added: 5
Not natural shipwreck but still interesting
OleCrab - 2/28/2016 7:35 PM
I went scuba diving here on 2/23/2016. Average viz: 61-70ft/19-21m. Water temp: 76-80°F/24-27°C.
NewtoScubaHB2 - 7/03/2015 9:05 AM
I went scuba diving here on 6/22/2015. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 81-85°F/27-29°C.
Korps - 6/29/2015 9:57 AM
Rating Added: 4
Went here with Diving with Heroes. A Non-profit that helps get Wounded Warriors into the water.
Cameron - 9/03/2014 9:41 PM
60ft and amazing! Penetrated all 5 decks. Yellow tailed snapper, surgeon fish, damsel fish, angels, black grouper, cleaner shrimp, and more. Phenominal time. Wife doesn’t dive but snorkeled the surface and had a blast! Go with Off the Wall Divers. Meghan is amazing!!
Cameron - 9/03/2014 8:00 PM
I went scuba diving here on 8/26/2014. Average viz: 61-70ft/19-21m. Water temp: 81-85°F/27-29°C.
sticksdownie - 8/15/2014 10:00 AM
Rating Added: 5
Nice wreck dive in Grand Cayman. Still relatively new, so growth is minimal.
Greg - 11/24/2013 12:47 PM
I went scuba diving here on 11/21/2013. Average viz: 61-70ft/19-21m. Water temp: 81-85°F/27-29°C.
Dove with Divers Down (Jenny, Trip, Ollie, Matthew...great customer service, friendly crew). Amazing wreck dive! Some fish with plant/coral beginning to grow on the wreck. No big animals. Becky and Macy snorkeled above and they could easily see the wreck in the clear blue water. Several openings in the wreck made it easy to swim around and see with a good amount of light. We followed the guide through 4 levels of the ship. Highly recommended if you’re in Grand Cayman.
DolphinLover - 8/02/2013 4:20 PM
I went scuba diving here on 7/17/2013. Average viz: 21-25ft/6-8m. Water temp: 81-85°F/27-29°C.
First time diving a wreck where I got to go inside. How cools was that! : ( Totally estatic. Dove with others on trip