CARRIE LEE - Grand Cayman

The Carrie Lee is one of those deeper Grand Cayman wrecks we always make time for, especially if we’re out on the East End. She’s a 39-meter supply vessel, built in 1956, and went down near East End Point after overturning on a passage to Cayman Brac. They tried to tow her, but she eventually sank for good, settling upright at 55 meters. Dropping down, the first thing that hits you is the sheer scale in the blue. She’s a proper ship, not just a small boat, and the visibility here is often fantastic, letting you see the whole outline from a distance. The bow points west, and the stern section, where the superstructure is most intact, offers some great penetration for those trained and equipped. We love seeing the old cargo holds, now open to the ocean and often filled with schools of jacks circling inside, their silver scales flashing in our lights. Look for the resident green morays peeking from the nooks and crannies. This dive is definitely for experienced deep divers comfortable with their gas management, but the reward is a quiet, contemplative wreck that feels truly remote.

Location
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Caribbean
Coordinates
19.281717, -81.397514
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
55m

Wreck History - CARRIE LEE

Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
foundered

The Carrie Lee was a mid-20th century supply vessel built in 1956. For years, she served as a vital link between the Cayman Islands, operated by CB & LC Transport Ltd. to ferry goods and supplies. Her final voyage was a routine passage from Grand Cayman to Cayman Brac. During the journey, disaster struck when the ship overturned in the open sea, approximately 11 miles east of East End Point. A rescue and salvage operation was mounted, and the stricken vessel was towed towards Jacksons Point on Grand Cayman.

Despite the crew's best efforts to save her, the Carrie Lee succumbed to her damage and sank before she could reach the safety of the harbor. Today, she rests upright on the seabed at a depth of 55 meters. This depth places her firmly in the realm of technical diving, a challenging and rewarding site for experienced divers. The wreck is a fantastic example of a small, modern island freighter, and its isolated location means it is often visited by large pelagic species cruising the deep blue waters off Grand Cayman's coast.

Marine Protected Area: Old Pageant Beach - Sand Cay Apartments (Grand Cayman)

Best Time to Dive in Grand Cayman

The warmest water temperatures in Grand Cayman occur in September, averaging 30.4°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 26.9°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 27.3°C
  • February: 26.9°C
  • March: 27.0°C
  • April: 27.7°C
  • May: 28.7°C
  • June: 29.2°C
  • July: 29.8°C
  • August: 30.3°C
  • September: 30.4°C
  • October: 30.0°C
  • November: 29.0°C
  • December: 28.0°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Grand Cayman

Nearest Dive Centres to CARRIE LEE

Marine Life in Grand Cayman

Home to 332 recorded species including 276 reef fish, 30 hard corals, 5 other, 5 seagrass & algae, 4 whales & dolphins, 4 sharks & rays.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for CARRIE LEE

Based on average water temperature of 28.7°C, currents 9 cm/s.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories