USS KITTIWAKE - Grand Cayman

The Kittiwake is something special, one of our favourite wreck dives in the Caribbean, hands down. Yes, it’s an artificial reef, sunk intentionally in 2011, but the way marine life has adopted it already is fantastic. We love the ease of this dive, sitting upright in just 18 metres of water, perfect for multiple dives and really getting to know the ship. You can penetrate five decks, and we always make a point of checking out the recompression chamber, the bridge, and the engine room. It’s an eerie, cool feeling swimming through the corridors, imagining the sailors who once walked those same paths. What makes it a standout for us isn't just the accessibility, it’s the sense of scale. At 76 metres long, it takes a few dives to truly appreciate. Clouds of schooling silversides often blanket parts of the wreck, especially in summer, shimmering like quicksilver. Look for the resident green moray eel in the engine room and the occasional turtle resting on the deck. Because it’s so popular, we always try to hit it first thing in the morning to beat the crowds; it makes a huge difference to the experience. For any diver wanting a proper wreck exploration without the extreme depth or currents, the Kittiwake is our top pick.

Location: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Caribbean
Coordinates: 19.361800, -81.401580
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 18m

Marine Protected Area: West Bay Cemetery - Victoria House (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 USS KITTIWAKE

Atlantis Dive Center
Divers Down - PADI
Divers Supply
Divetech - PADI
Diving Center - SSI, PADI, CMAS, NAUI, FEDAS, ACUC
Don Foster's Dive Cayman, Ltd. - ["PADI"]

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

Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) - Reef Fish
Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) - Reef Fish
Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for USS KITTIWAKE

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