Cayman’s newest diving attraction has an illustrious history. The ex-USS Kittiwake, which was sunk on 5 January, 2011, off north-west Seven Mile Beach, has seen many missions worldwide, including Cold War and NASA service. Although she now sits at the bottom of the ocean, the 251-foot Chantileer-class submarine rescue ship is no less impressive and is attracting divers from Cayman and around the world.

The USS Kittiwake was launched on 10 July, 1945, and, after she was used in service throughout the world, was decommissioned in September, 1994.

 During that time, the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, along with private sector and government entities, were looking for a suitable ship to bring to the islands to form an artificial reef for divers and for the ecosystem. After seven years of paperwork, which involved safety and hazard mitigation, the USS Kittiwake was on her way to the Cayman Islands. It was the first time that the US Maritime Administration has donated a ship to a foreign government for the purposes of an artificial reef.

The USS Kittiwake now lies at latitude 19 21.714’N and longitude 081 24.073'W for her bow, just off of Sand Chute dive site. The bottom is flat and sandy, and the vessel rests 64-feet deep at the bottom but only 15 feet from the surface, ideal for both divers and snorkellers.

The interest in Cayman’s new dive site has been overwhelming, from the media and the worldwide dive community. National Geographic followed the USS Kittiwake’s progress for a special edition of the TV show, Mega Movers.

The USS Kittiwake is already a haven for wildlife, with a goliath grouper one of the first to take up residence. The site is also monitored by scientists for an ongoing project that studies the effect of artificial reefs on marine population, both inside the boat and in the nearby conservation area.

The USS Kittiwake is situated in a marine park that is protected under law in Cayman. Divers and snorkellers are not allowed to touch or take anything from the site, and fishing is prohibited. Visitors must pay an entrance free to a licensed operator is to dive the USS Kittiwake, with the funds contributing to the maintenance and protection of the new artificial reef as well as Cayman’s natural reefs. The only exception to the no fishing law is the culling of lionfish, an invasive species to Cayman waters. A portion of the visitor fee is paid to an environmental contingency fund.