Open Water Swim To A Sunken Ship

Open Water Swim To A Sunken Ship

Approximately 800 meters off the northern shore of Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman lies the USS Kittiwake, a decommissioned U.S. Navy ship. Crews carefully flooded the 1945-vintage submarine rescue ship this year, where it currently rests on the floor of the Caribbean Sea attracting marine life and tourists.

Open water swimmers in the area have made this destination a one-mile adventure swim – going out 800 meters to the ship, exploring, then swimming 800 meters back to shore. Like pirates of old, seeking this open water swimming treasure is a treat in the gorgeously beautiful waters of the Cayman Islands.

Barb Hampson explained, “Kate Alexander and I swam out to the Kittiwake earlier this year in January. It was a first for both of us and was a nice easy swim to get there and a surreal experience.

Standing on the top deck of the ship doing a 360° of the surrounding area, the movie Titanic came to mind. There was very little in the way of sea life, but it was a memorable swim nonetheless. But I did another swim a week ago [four months after the first swim]. I could not believe the difference in the sea life surrounding the wreck and am now looking forward to even more creatures taking up residence in the future
.”

The typical Caribbean Sea clarity truly creates a real-world aquarium.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source
Steven Munatones