New Sinking Date for USS Kittiwake off Grand Cayman

(Dive Travel Business News - November 17, 2010) -- The Cayman Islands will soon have a new artificial reef with the sinking of an old American warship with the upcoming sinking of the USS Kittiwake. 

The vessel will find its finally resting place on Saturday December 11, 2010 in the waters off Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman so that there is just 15 feet of water above it. The location will make it accessible to novice divers and snorkelers and create a safe marine habitat for surrounding reef life.

The vessel has already been prepared for safe underwater access by divers and snorkelers, and has been thoroughly scrubbed with all toxic materials removed.  The vessel will be towed a distance of approximately 1400 nautical miles along the eastern seaboard of the US from Norfolk Virginia, by Key West Florida, and then along normal shipping lanes around the western coast of Cuba to the port  of Georgetown on the west side of Grand Cayman. The tow is expected to take 7-9 days at an average towing speed of 8 knots, weather permitting.

First launched on July 10, 1945, the USS Kittiwake was a submarine rescue ship in the US Navy during World War II  and remained in service until 1994. Her most memorable call of duty in recent times was the recovery of the Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster. The USS Kittiwake, a 251-foot, 5-deck, 2200-ton decommissioned naval vessel, is the first US military vessel to be acquired by a foreign country. 

The Kittiwake ship wreck is a private park and attraction that is managed by the Cayman Islands Tourism Association. All visitors to the Kittiwake ship wreck are required to pay an entry fee. The funds collected are used for maintenance of the ship wreck, safety equipment and management of the attraction. A portion of the visitor fee is paid to an Environmental Contingency Fund.

Scuba Divers will be issued a medallion tag to attach to their BCD or regulator (US$10 per visit/dive).  Snorkelers will be issued a wrist band (US$5 per visit/ snorkel). Wristbands are available for purchase from the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (C.I.T.A.) office and at participating island dive shops. 

Special Kittiwake Sinking vacation packages are available through Divetech/Cobalt Coast, Treasure Island/Divers Down, Sunset House, Sunshine Suites, Compass Point Dive Resort / Ocean Frontiers, Eden Rock Diving Centre, Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa and Living the Dream Divers (Dive & Sinking Events only). 

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