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
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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