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The western coast of Grand Cayman is home to some of the more famous scuba diving vacation spots in the Caribbean. The impeccable stretch of white sand known as Seven Mile Beach was voted “The Caribbean’s Best Beach” in Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine. Directly south of the beach is George Town, the capital of the Cayman Islands and center for all things luxurious—from food to duty-free shopping to spas to…well, anything. Yet the newest attraction on the west coast may be the most intriguing: the Kittiwake.
Launched on July 10, 1945, the USS Kittiwake ran countless rescue missions for 54 years until a collision with the USS Bergall sent her to inactive duty. On January 5, 2011, she was sunk off of Grand Cayman, where she now resides as an artificial reef — and one of the hottest new scuba diving destinations.
As coral and crustaceans now stake claims to the ship’s hull, a goliath grouper has already taken up residence in its propeller. The ship is at 19m depth and is completely upright. The upper decks reach as close to 5m below the surface, so both scuba divers and snorkelers can enjoy the site.
The Kittiwake is right off Seven Mile Beach, eminently accessible by a short boat ride or a long swim. With visibility regularly over 100 feet, it’s not one you should miss. And a post-dive relaxation session on that iconic beach isn’t too bad, either.
