USS Kittiwake Ship Wreck Dive Comes Alive in Grand Cayman

So, I’m diving the Ex USS Kittiwake in Grand Cayman today with some pretty cool divers.   One of which had served eight years in the US Navy. 

Needless to say he was fired up to check out this gem of a wreck. 

We’ve had a great first dive today so this one better be a doozie!  (you know it will).  The dive started with a simple backwards roll off the back of the boat and heading to the yellow mooring ball at the front of our boat. 

This particular day we were hanging off of the line attached to the stern of the sunken Kittiwake below.  The small group of us worked our way down the line and begun our adventure at the huge propeller.  This puts us in about 60 feet of sea water.  This happens to be the deepest part of the dive, by the way.  

OK, 20 seconds in we come across this beautiful Spotted Eagle Ray just having a little late breakfast in the sand around the 251 foot Ex USS Kittiwake.  Fantastic surprise for us all!  We could have spent half the dive here, as the beautiful ray was not bothered in the slightest that we were chillin with her.  

Back to the wreck we go. 

Now we are on the main deck and loving it!  The Ex USS Kittiwake is alive today with a hugeschoolofHorse Eyed Jacksjust back of mid ships.  Not a bother in the world.  

Now we’ve made it in and around the recompression chambers, the shower and mess hall as well.  Gliding up towards the bow checking out the great viz and beautiful fish along the way. 

Divers seem amazed and delighted with the dive at this point! 

Now into the wheel house, pretending to steer the boat, seeing all the plaques dotted around and taking special notice of the one near the smoke stack giving the specifications about the Kittiwake.  If you have a camera, this is a must shot!  Very cool. 

So now we are winding up the dive, I’ve been alerted of a diver being down to 1000 psi remaining in his bottle.  It is time to think about making our way back to the ascent line. 

As we pass by the makeshift diving bell near the stern of the USS Kittiwake I notice the red algae on top of it and decide to have a look around, thinking I might find me a decorator crab to show these divers. 

WOW!  What I do find is not a decorator crab at all, but a juvenile Great Anemone!! 

I’ve never seen a Great Anemone this small before and I was fired up!  To me, this is a great sign that things sure are starting to come to life on the Ex USS Kittiwake after a year of getting comfortable on the sea floor here in the Cayman Islands.   Now, I’ve dived or dove, or whatever you’re supposed to say, this Kittiwake at least 60 times now.  This new growth is the first significant thing  I’ve seen begining its life here.  Welcome!

After showing the small group of us this young Anemone, it was about time to call it a dive.  So, with out further delay, we all began to  worked our way up the same line we came down, nice and slow.  We all did our safety stop at 15 feet for at least three minutes and were back on board the boat with at least 500 psi in our SCUBA tanks! 

What an adventure for all of us.  This is my job by the way!

Celebrate the Lifestyle! 

Catch you later.