Can you do the Kittiwake as a shore dive?

[oregondiver]

Doubt this is possible but thought I would check...

Is it possible to do the Kittiwake as a shore dive? Yes, we would pay the entry fee and get the medallion but we have many places on GC to spend our scuba units that I was wondering if we could do this as a shore dive?

I am finding costs are $100 for a dive on the kittiwake through boat ops.
Thanks!

 

[ScubaBing]

I think it's too far out for that.

sunsethouse.com charges less than $ 100 .... think it was $ 75.00 and yes, it's worth it, even more than the Stingrays in my mind.

 

[diversteve]

It is possible but it's a long surface kick out thru an active boat channel. So tow a flag.

A reply to a recent thread in this forum mentioned how/where to do it. Maybe posted by nipi. If it helps searching for it, it's a thread I'm in also.

You can rent tanks from Diver's Supply in West Bay - no website but they have a Facebook page for details. The only other place that I'm aware of that will allow you to take tanks off property is Eden Rock.

Everybody who does it is listed down the right side here if you wanted to check prices: http://www.kittiwakecayman.com/
DNS does it for $90. http://www.divedns.com/
Don Fosters does it for $75. http://www.donfosters.com/html/rates.html

Kittiwake 1 tank dive $75
Kittiwake 1 stop snorkel $50
(includes marine park fees)

 

[oregondiver]

Thanks Steve. I found the post from 2011 and it answered my question. About 350 yards of swimming through possible boat traffic

If I can talk my husband into it, we may do that (after buying our tag of course!)

 

[oettinger]

hi just their 2 wks ago just take the dive boat be safe it was a good dive i went with red sail have fun

 

[bfuqua]

I agree.. take the dive boat for safety but don't miss the dive. It was interesting and I look forward to diving it again in a few years to see the growth.

 

[tkaelin]

We just came back and we stayed on 7MB close to where the KW is. I asked this question as well before our trip. Some said it was possible, others suggested it was not worth the swim and risk. I think I was told that Sunset does a one take KW for $45.00. Having just dove it by boat and seeing the distance, I would not attempt it by shore. It has to be 500 yards minimum with potentially a lot of traffic on the site. A tank rental will run at least $10 so for another $35 or so I would recommend the boat. I had not thought about heading out in a kayak, that would be doable but I would be mindful of the prevailing wind on the day of the dive. You would also need a boat sticker as well if you did it by kayak

 

[shrop3483]

Please, do not try the Kittiwake from shore! No less than eight (8) times since the first of the year, we (Off The Wall Divers) have stopped "divers, swimmers, snorkelers" and advised them that what "they are doing" is not safe and certainly, "take a flag" if you must do it.
Some of the comments and looks have been "priceless" and they have continued onward. (DOH!). Just the other day, I watched a line of jet skis roar through the area (doing nothing wrong, and well within their limits), and they too spotted snorkelers half-way between the shore and the wreck (with no flag).
Do it smart! Choose your dive operator of choice and don't try to "swim it".
Tom @ Off The Wall Divers/Grand Cayman

 

[ian.b]

Also aren't you required to have the gov't issued tag on your person to be diving the wreck?

I wouldn't surface swim out as it is fairly far from what I remember, and especially now because it moved seaward with the hurricane. Most dive ops do a 2 tank dive, one being the kittiwake. I'm partial to Indepth watersports as that who we did all you diving with on vacation.

 

[Brodydog]

I am moored at the Kittiwake right now waiting to go down. I personally would not want to swim the distance from shore. It IS quite a distance to swim and there is quite a bit of traffic. I would pay the extra dollars to have a boat take me out and save the money on something else like dining in a night or 2 instead. Well worth the money in my opinion to get a boat ride!