Ex-USS Kittiwake at West Bay, Grand Cayman
Enjoy this impression of the outside of the Kittiwake, the world famous artificial reef in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.
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.
She was built by Savannah Machine & Foundry Co. (Savanna, Georgia), awarded May 11, 1944 near the end of WWII, launched July 10, 1945 and commissioned July 18, 1946.
The Kittiwake had an illustrious service for over 54 years, being decommissioned September 30, 1994. After being laid up by the US Navy for 6 years, the Kittiwake was transferred to the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) in March of 2000. From 2000 - 2009, she resided at the James River Reserve Fleet in Fort Eustis, Virginia (Norfolk area).
MARAD issued an invitation to both US and International applicants to apply for the donation of a ship for the purposes of artificial reefing in 2004, and the Cayman Islands applied for a ship. The Cayman Islands was approved as the pilot project for the donation of a ship from MARAD to a foreign Government for the purposes of artificial reefing.
The Kittiwake was transferred from MARAD to the Cayman Islands Government in August 2009 and was cleaned and remediated in Norfolk, Virginia to become an artificial reef. This included substantial work including the removal of all hazardous materials (like pcb's, asbestos, mercury, cabling, wires, oils, lubricants and a very long list). Additionally, all thin or loose materials that could break off during or soon after sinking were removed. The Kittiwake is possibly the 'cleanest' wreck even to be sunk as an artificial reef.
Grand Cayman Dive Kittiwake West Bay (unedited)
June 9 2012 dive to the 251 foot Kittiwake sunken submarine rescue vessel in the West Bay of Grand Cayman with Happy Fish Divers. Maximum depth on the dive of 60-70 feet. Interior views of several decks of the ship and schools of fish surrounding the vessel. Small stingray in the first few minutes. The Kittiwake is located in a marine park off Grand Cayman and was sunk in early 2011 to form an artificial reef. Video was made with a GoPro Hero 2 with a GoPro underwater enclosure with flat lens.
Divers explore Kittiwake shipwreck on Grand Cayman Island
While Brent and Elsa were vacationing on Grand Cayman Island, being divers they chose to dive the ship wreck Kittiwake. Below is some information about this incredible ship which now makes a great dive sight and artificial reef.<br><br>On January 5th 2011, the Kittiwake (an ex USA Navy Vessel) was brought to the Cayman Islands and sunk to make an artificial reef off Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach. When in active duty, the Kittiwake was a submarine rescue vessel.<br><br>The Kittiwake was in service from 1945 to 1994, serving more than 50 years. After she was retired from duty in 1994 the Caymans Islands Government purchased her to make an artificial reef. In preparation for sinking the Kittiwake was cleaned of all chemicals and oils to insure that no pollutants could harm the nearby coral reefs, and had most of her internal fixtures removed to make the vessel as diver friendly as possible.<br><br>The Kittiwake is a large vessel measuring 251 feet long, hosting 5 decks, and weighing 2200 tons. She sits in ~60 feet of water. Open water divers can swim the first three decks, and advanced divers can swim through all five decks. Some highlights of the dive include two recompression champers, which served the divers who got decompression sickness on the Kittiwake, the bathroom which still has mirrors so you can see yourself, and the mess hall which still has tables and chairs.<br><br>Most of the Kittiwake’s missions are still classified to this day, however a quick search online gets plenty of hits to some of her adventures. Most notably in 1986 the Kittiwake recovered the Blackbox from the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. The Blackbox was recovered from the Atlantic Ocean.<br><br>Today the Kittiwake lays in a marine park serving as an artificial reef. Divers and snorkelers are not allowed to take or touch anything in the marine park. To dive or snorkel the Kittiwake, you must go on a licenced vessel.
Source & embed code:
For licensing, please email licensing@rumble.com.
USS KITTIWAKE _ Wreck Dive _ Grand Cayman
The ex-USS Kittiwake is an Ex-US Navy Submarine Rescue Vessel. She was sunk on January 5th, 2011 in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands to create an artificial reef and shipwreck attraction for scuba divers and snorkelers to visit and enjoy.
Kittiwake Sinking off of Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Kittiwake Sinks Off Seven Mile Beach! After seven years of dedicated effort and planning, the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, in collaboration with the Ministry and Department of Tourism, successfully laid the former submarine rescue ship in its final resting place off the Country's famous Seven Mile Beach where it will provide both a snorkeling and dive attraction.
Ex-crew member, Jon Glatstein, a Signalman Petty officer 2nd Class who served on the ship when she was in active service was at the site to watch the sinking take place. This is a bittersweet experience he said, but I am happy she has ended up as a dive attraction in a beautiful location where she will fascinate and be a pleasure to divers for many years to come.
On Monday, January 3, 2011, 60 Government dignitaries, sponsors, media, and project supporters got up close and personal with the Kittiwake during an hour-long tour of the vessel, and took part in the dedication ceremony. Later that afternoon, over 300 members of the public took time out of their public holiday to go on a perimeter tour of the vessel, many expressing their excitement and new-found appreciation for the ship.
The Department of Environment and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service's Marine Unit were present during the event, securing the perimeter around the vessel and observing the sinking, which took place in a designated Marine Park. Over 30 boats filled with excited onlookers watched the last dramatic 60 seconds, as the ship's stern filled quickly with water and she disappeared beneath the surface. The vessel became fully submerged at 2:37 p.m. and sank towards the ocean floor, where she rested perfectly into position, thanks to the seamless planning and management by the project crew and their affiliates.
Project Manager, Nancy Easterbrook of Divetech said, I jumped in the water as soon as she was under, and sure enough, she was sitting upright and exactly where she was supposed to be; A perfect beginning.
Over 10,000 online viewers around the world watched via live-stream on the official Kittiwake website, while onlookers -- including students from Grace Christian Academy and Cayman Prep Schools - watched from a variety of viewing points along the coast.
News of the sinking quickly spread worldwide as US cable news channel CNN, highlighted the historic event on their American Morning show to viewers throughout the Unites States. The story was also picked up by CBS News, NBC's TODAY show, the Associated Press, the Washington Post online and a host of other print and broadcast media across the USA, Europe and Canada.
I'm excited that the foreign media has taken such great interest in this historic event, said Shomari Scott, Director (Acting) of the Department of Tourism. He added that, the sinking of the Kittiwake has been much anticipated and further enhances our world renowned dive product in the Cayman Islands by adding an even greater diversity to the fascinating sites we currently have. Sharing this with the rest of the world is now our main focus and we are delighted that bookings from divers wanting to be among the first to dive her are already pouring in.
Once the final safety checks are completed the ex-USS Kittiwake dive site, located just off the western coast of Grand Cayman, will be open for divers to explore. To view photos and video of the Kittiwake, and for more information on how to book a dive, visit the official Kittiwake website at kittiwakecayman.com
The Cayman Islands Tourism Association is the organization that manages and administers the Underwater Shipwreck Attraction of the Kittiwake.
Kittiwake 1st dive
Credit: Sean Crothers
After an epic seven years in the making, the Kittiwake, the former US submarine rescue vessel, has finally made it to her new home: The seabed off Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman where she has become the newest artificial reef in the Caribbean.
Yesterday, the USS Kittiwake met her final resting place in the warm, clear water off Grand Cayman. Cathy Church was immediately in the water as well as a few others to catch the first images, but still and video. Make sure to see our You Tube video below or go to our Facebook site to see more!
Kittiwake sinking - Grand Cayman and 4 years later
The day before the sinking and now 4 years later.
Habo and Nancy USS Kittiwake 12-2016
Diving in the Cayman Islands. Wreck of the USS Kittiwake December 2016. Video Editing by Matthew Dennis. Music by Kevin MacLeod.
Kittiwake down
It was a particularly beautiful day in Grand Cayman, with just a whisper of cool breeze to displace the peaceful, warm air.
Crowds began gathering from 10am on Wednesday, 5 January, near West Bay Public Beach, with locals and visitors of all ages and backgrounds gazing out toward a flotilla of crafts gathered around a very special grey ship.
And then for hours, not much appeared to be happening. But hidden from those interested observers on shore and on the small crafts was a team of experts setting about final preparations aboard ex-USS Kittiwake. Engineers were filling the specially-prepared hull with water from bright green hoses, readying the vessel for a meticulously-controlled descent.
Scuba Diving Kittiwake Grand Cayman HD
USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) was a United States Navy submarine rescue vessel in commission from 1946 to 1994.
Kittiwake was decommissioned on September 30th 1994. Her title was transferred in November 2008 to the government of the Cayman Islands for using the Kittiwake to form a new artificial reef. It was sunk off Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman on January 5th 2011 in the Marine Park. At its most shallow, the Kittiwake is 15 feet below the surface of the water and at its deepest, 64 feet below the surface.
This was a fun dive so much so we decided to also do a night dive on this site.
Music:
Kittiwakes Artificial Reef Dive in Grand Cayman
Jeff Morrison Explores the top of the artificial Reef ship Kittiwake, sunk just off the coast of Grand Cayman. a few more storms and its down to davie jones locker. this ship broke all but one of its anchors in a small nor-easter and its a few dozen yards from the edge of the wall.... one Good hurricane and it will probably disappear down to the trench more than 2500 feet below the surface.
Kittiwake dive
Dive on the USS Kittiwake - Grand Cayman - April 23, 2016
USS Kittiwake Sinking
After several false starts at getting the former USS Kittiwake to the Cayman Islands, the vessel began its journey to the bottom of the sea Wednesday.
At 11.30am, water was being pumped into cutouts made in the ship's hull. Once those reach the waterline the Kittiwake will begin sinking faster. Just after 2pm, the craft was sinking low into the water.
Josie J Sinking
Footage of when the Josie J cargo boat finally went down in front of West Bay beach in Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras. She now sits in deep water, at 168ft at the shallowest point. Footage courtesy of Divemaster Mickey Charteris (of Reef Gliders), and Coconut Tree Divers supplying the boat. The wreck is accessible to Tec Divers - see coconuttreedivers.com for more info.
Sinking Of the USS Kittiwake
Sinking of the kittiwake January 5th 2011, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.
USS Kittiwake ASR 13 August 25, 2015, Diving with Ocean Frontiers, Grand Cayman
August 25,, 2015 dove with Ocean Frontiers on the USS Kittiwake (ASR-13).
Namesake: The kittiwake, any of several gulls of the genus Rissa, found along the coast of North America
Launched: 10 July 1945
Sponsored by: Mrs. Howard S. Rue, Jr.
Commissioned: 18 July 1946
Decommissioned: 30 September 1994
Struck: 30 September 1994
Fate: Sunk as artificial reef in January 2011
Diving the Kittiwake
Exploring the Kittiwake wreck in Grand Cayman on Nov. 13, 2013. This was filmed using my GoPro Hero 3. The song is Plasma by Redmann
Scuba Diving with Silversides inside the ex USS-Kittiwake in Grand Cayman
This is a picture of a school of Atlantic Silversides from inside the ex USS-Kittiwake. Every summer in Grand Cayman brings with it a seasonal migration of this schooling fish. Witnessing the silver rush during a dive is an experience you won't forget! Charter: CaymanDiving.com
Scuba Diving Kittiwake Night Dive Grand Cayman HD
This was a night dive on the USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) it was a United States Navy submarine rescue vessel in commission from 1946 to 1994.
Kittiwake was decommissioned on September 30th 1994. Her title was transferred in November 2008 to the government of the Cayman Islands for using the Kittiwake to form a new artificial reef. It was sunk off Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman on January 5th 2011 in the Marine Park. At its most shallow, the Kittiwake is 15 feet below the surface of the water and at its deepest, 64 feet below the surface.
This was a fun dive so much so we decided to also do a night dive on this site.
Music:
Cayman USS Kittiwake
Cayman USS Kittiwake