Kittiwake Worth It?

[Marek K]

We're heading back to Grand Cayman again this summer, end of July. Staying at Cobalt Coast this time, as opposed to Sunset House last summer.

I was looking forward to diving the USS Kittiwake last year, since it had originally been scheduled to be sunk the week we were there. It was delayed by six months, of course, and I was looking forward to diving it this summer instead.

But Cobalt Coast (or rather DiveTech) is charging $100 per person to dive Kittiwake -- a one-tank afternoon boat trip. Um, that's quite a lot of money, particularly since we're a total of four persons.

I understand that's unfortunately kind of the going rate; except for Sunset House, which only charges $55, despite being twice as far.

Getting down to Sunset House for a one-tank boat trip wouldn't be practical. Is it worth it with DiveTech?

 

[diversteve]

Living the Dream dives it M-W-F at 1PM for $75pp. They leave out of West Bay so maybe they'd pick you up?
Our Rates | Living The Dream Divers

 

[Marek K]

Living the Dream [...] maybe they'd pick you up?

Yeah, might be worth a try. But their web site says that they have "complimentary pick up from your hotel or condo along Seven Mile Beach." Which Cobalt Coast isn't.

But the whole idea of staying at Cobalt Coast (or Sunset House) was not to have to drag equipment around and be picked up. :depressed:

Interesting... Living the Dream charges the same for Kittiwake as they do for a normal one-tank afternoon dive, plus the $10 Kittiwake fee.

DiveTech doesn't list one-tank dives, except to Stingray City ($60; they're not far). So $100 for Kittiwake sounds pretty steep... All their other a la carte diving is pretty close in price to the competition...

 

[divesergeant]

We're diving it tomorrow with Neptune's. I can't remember the cost, but am sure it was less than 100. I'll try to post again tomorrow and let you know how it goes.
DS

 

[billinwilliamston]

I will give you my opinion. If I had paid $100x4 to dive the Kittiwake, I would have been disappointed. Have you done other artificial reefs before?

 

[Marek K]

I will give you my opinion. If I had paid $100x4 to dive the Kittiwake, I would have been disappointed. Have you done other artificial reefs before?

Not quite. Did some of the wrecks off of North Carolina decades ago (Liberty Ship, etc.). Saw the Oro Verde a couple times decades back when it was stil intact; and again last year, along with some of the other wreck remnants off of Grand Cayman. Did Thistlegorm in the Red Sea, with my son.

I just thought seeing a new, intact wreck would be impressive; particularly after all the publicity. And particularly for my wife and daughter, who have never seen anything like that. But $100 pp?

 

[under water]

Sounds like an afternon at Sunset House would be economical if you go there for the Kittiwake dive and dinner afterwards. For the $180 (4*$45) savings you can probably pay for taxi and a dinner ( maybe). You can walk to town from Sunset House if you want to eat somewhere downtown.
You could even do a shore dive at Sunset House after the wreck and before dinner.
You might be able to rent a car for 1 day.
Maybe you could have DiveTech drop you off at Lighthouse point then catch a cab.

 

[divesergeant]

I don't have any frame of reference, not having done much wreck diving, so I can't say if it is a good value or not. I did enjoy it, however, due to the abundance of critters already making it their home; shrimp, crabs, red-lipped blennies, even four reef squid hovering over the upper deck. We are regular Grand Cayman visitors and I think it'll be cool to dive it every year or so and see how the reef matures.

Check around for prices; you might get a better price from a smaller outfit, especially since you have four divers in your group.

DS

 

[Marek K]

Sounds like an afternon at Sunset House would be economical if you go there for the Kittiwake dive

Yeah... but catching cabs and schlepping gear around the island isn't why we're staying at Cobalt Coast. I think we'll be very happy there, but it just happens to be the most-expensive dive operation for Kittiwake...

I did enjoy it, however, due to the abundance of critters already making it their home

Thanks for the info! We wouldn't be diving it for the critters, though -- plenty of those elsewhere. We'd just want to see a hulking, intact shipwreck.

And to see "Sorrow's" dad's plaque on the deco chamber... see http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cayman-islands/322232-uss-kittiwake-grand-cayman-4.html#post5335401.

Hmmm... Looking over that old thread, I see that some of us had already observed the huge difference in Kittiwake dive pricing between Sunset House and Cobalt Coast...

 

[billinwilliamston]

Not quite. Did some of the wrecks off of North Carolina decades ago (Liberty Ship, etc.). Saw the Oro Verde a couple times decades back when it was stil intact; and again last year, along with some of the other wreck remnants off of Grand Cayman. Did Thistlegorm in the Red Sea, with my son.

I just thought seeing a new, intact wreck would be impressive; particularly after all the publicity. And particularly for my wife and daughter, who have never seen anything like that. But $100 pp?

My experience with them is limited, but I was hoping to find a common point of reference. The Kittiwake is not as impressive as the Vandenberg in Key West or the Spiegel Grove in Key Largo, but it is a much, much easier dive. It is more impressive than the Cayman Salvage Master (Key West) or the C-55 in Cancun and again, is an easier dive.

One thing to maybe keep in mind. There are several parts of the ship that are shallow enough to do your safety stop from and some parts are too shallow for a safety stop. As shallow as the Kittiwake is, the chances of it staying intact for very long are fairly remote.

All of the opinions expressed here are solely those of the poster.