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#20281
Grand Cayman’s Kittiwake Is Toppled by Tropical Storm Nate
Smithsgold - 10/08/2017 9:48 PM
Category: General
Replies: 8

Grand Cayman’s Kittiwake Is Toppled by Tropical Storm Nate

sportdiver.com/grand-caymans-kittiwake-is-toppled...storm?src=SOC&dom=fb

One of Grand Cayman’s most-popular dive sites — the artificial reef site Kittiwake — was impacted by Tropical Storm Nate as it first began developing in the Caribbean. The 251-foot-long ship was sunk in 60 feet of water near the Sand Chute dive site, close to Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach. Launched on July 10, 1945, the former U.S. Navy vessel USS Kittiwake ran countless rescue missions for 54 years until she was decommissioned in 1994.
According to eyewitness reports Sunday, October 8, the popular shipwreck has been toppled on its port side. It may also be resting on the nearby reef.
Jason Washington, who dived the wreck on Sunday, told Cayman 27 the Kittiwake is now 20 feet deeper.
Local divers confirm the Cayman Islands Tourist Association has closed the wreck to divers, fearing it may be unstable.
The Kittiwake was acquired by the Cayman Islands government in 2008 and was sunk as an artificial reef in 2011.
Tags: Grand Cayman Caribbean And Atlantic News
#20281
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#12117
Eric_R - 10/09/2017 9:31 AM
Can you imagine the force that was applied? Looks to be in good shape.
#535
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Scubagal_godive - 10/10/2017 2:26 PM
WOW...thanks for posting.
#20281
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Smithsgold - 10/11/2017 12:13 PM
idivecayman.com/kittiwake?video=663

Great news, the Kittiwake is open for business! There is some pretty severe damage to Sand Chute where the wreck leaned against it during tropical storm Nate. You can see this early in the video. Some of the rooms inside have quite a lot of sand making for possible silting issues. Other than that, all is good!
#20281
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#227
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covediver - 10/30/2017 12:41 PM
I dived the Kittiwake last year. Interesting dive, but having done it once, not sure there is much utility in doing it a second time. Does its new orientation cause any problems for divers becoming disoriented? When she sat on her keel, passageways made intuitive sense.