If you’re planning a visit to the Grand Caymans this winter, make sure you don’t miss this once in a life-time opportunity to witness the creation of an artificial reef with the scheduled sinking of the USS Kittiwake on the 5th of December 2010.
The USS Kittiwake was in service from 1945 to 1994 and was a United States Navy Chanticleer-class submarine rescue vessel. Kittiwake was decommissioned on 30 September 1994 was transferred in November 2008 for an undisclosed amount to the government of the Cayman Islands who intended to sink this 251 ft (76.61 m) vessel to serve as an artificial reef off Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman.
The Cayman Islands Tourism Association has elaborate plans to convert the wreck into a private park and attraction named the “Kittiwake Shipwreck Park” that is managed by Tourism Association where Scuba Divers will be expected to pay an entry fee of $10 per visit/dive and snorkelers $5 per visit and will be issued a BCD tag or wristband for snorkelers. The funds collected will be used for maintenance of the ship wreck, safety equipment and management of the attraction and a portion of the visitor fee is paid to an Environmental Contingency Fund. The Tourism association has already printed out wreck dive slates providing visitors with detailed information about the wreck available for purchase from a Licensed Kittiwake Dive Operator.
The Ship itself is currently in dry docks is being stripped bare and being made secure for divers and environmentally sound for sinking. The sinking itself is planned to be a huge event and was originally scheduled to take place between July 24th – 27th, 2010, but was postponed due to the delay in towing the ship from the US to the Cayman’s and plus the time and work required to make the ship “diver & environmentally friendly”. The sinking ceremony on the 5th is expected to draw huge crowds and be covered by the media fully. Several visiting journalists, guests and ex-crew members plan to attend and witness the sinking of the ex-USS Kittiwake in the Cayman Islands. Cayman resorts along the seven mile beach have almost sold out on special packages for tourist wishing to witness the sinking as well as be some of the first divers to visit the wreck once it’s in place.
To find out more about the scheduled sinking of the Kitiwake visit http://www.kittiwakecayman.com/
images from US Navy Archives & flickr by Willamor Media
