choiahoy
Contributor
How long does it take to get to the Tibbetts wreck from Little Cayman? Is it worth an afternoon trip?
Tibbetts wreck
- Thread starter choiahoy
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The two islands are only about 5 miles apart so it isn't a very long trip. The Russian Frigate (renamed the Captain Keith Tibbetts) is an easy and interesting wreck with lots of coral and fish life. We've dived it several times and have enjoyed watching it undergo a dramatic "sea change" over the years. When we first dived it the boat was upright and intact but then Hurricane Ivan ripped it in half!
If you like wreck dives then I think you will enjoy it, but the wall dives around Little Cayman are so beautiful that you may not want to give up a Bloody Bay Wall dive to visit the wreck - it's up to you.
Are you staying at Little Cayman Beach Resort? Do they offer the Tibbetts as an afternoon dive? We have taken advantage of the opportunity to go over to Little Cayman for a 2 tank morning trip a few times when we've stayed at Cayman Brac Beach Resort. But we haven't done the reverse trip from Little Cayman because we have already dived the Tibbetts.
I know that Reef Divers won't run the Tibbetts trip from LCBR unless they have a group of divers that want to participate and they will charge an extra fuel charge ($25 or $35?) for the special trip. They don't offer the trip if the seas are rough.
Here's a video of the wreck:
If you like wreck dives then I think you will enjoy it, but the wall dives around Little Cayman are so beautiful that you may not want to give up a Bloody Bay Wall dive to visit the wreck - it's up to you.
Are you staying at Little Cayman Beach Resort? Do they offer the Tibbetts as an afternoon dive? We have taken advantage of the opportunity to go over to Little Cayman for a 2 tank morning trip a few times when we've stayed at Cayman Brac Beach Resort. But we haven't done the reverse trip from Little Cayman because we have already dived the Tibbetts.
I know that Reef Divers won't run the Tibbetts trip from LCBR unless they have a group of divers that want to participate and they will charge an extra fuel charge ($25 or $35?) for the special trip. They don't offer the trip if the seas are rough.
Here's a video of the wreck:
Last edited:
AdivingBel
Diver
keyshunter
Contributor
LC and Cayman Brac are about 5 miles apart, but it is necessary to run the entire 10 mile length of LC to get to that 5 miles. Forty-five minutes is about right. AFAIK the 3 dive ops on LC do the wreck as a morning dive only.
Doctorfish
Contributor
Given a choice between Bloody Bay Wall and going across to dive the Tibbetts, I choose Bloody Bay every time. The Tibbetts is more of a novelty than anything else, but not a very exciting dive IMO. When you add in the fuel charge and the time back and forth +/- a bumpby ride, Meh.
On the other hand, if I were staying on the Brac, I'd jump at the opportunity to spend a day on Bloody Bay Wall.
On the other hand, if I were staying on the Brac, I'd jump at the opportunity to spend a day on Bloody Bay Wall.
AggieDiver
Contributor
The Tibbetts is worth diving at least once just as a novelty, but now that I have done it, I wouldn't pay extra to go there from LC and miss a dive on the north side for it. I actually think it is much cooler as a night dive. We did that once while staying on the Brac and it was a pretty neat experience.
Doctorfish
Contributor
That's not an option for the OP but would be interesting.
I think it depends on how much you enjoy wreck dives. The last time we were at LCBR we spoke with a guy that was really unhappy that the dive op decided not to do the Tibbetts trip over to Brac. I can't remember why they called it off, but he really loved wreck dives and was very disappointed.
The Tibbetts is an easy and interesting site and you can get some great photos and video on the wreck. Whether or not it is worth it depends on how much you like wreck dives.
The Tibbetts is an easy and interesting site and you can get some great photos and video on the wreck. Whether or not it is worth it depends on how much you like wreck dives.
PatW
Contributor
Well the dive resorts at Little Cayman are almost at the west end of the island. Brac is to the east. You have to go the full length of Little Cayman, then do the 5 mile crossing and motor maybe another mile to the Tibbetts. The Tibbetts is a good wreck dive. It is about 85' to the sand at the bow and 60' at the stern. Of course, it is shallower on the wreck itself. It is getting well encrusted mainly with sponges. It has a resident fish population. The wreck is broken up some but still together. It has a nice structure and offers good opportunities for wide angle photography. If you like wrecks, it is right up there. It is better than most wrecks I have done. Of the ones I have done, only the RMS Rhone is better. Now, I like reefs better, so I would rather do Randy's Gazebo, the Mixing Bowl or any number of Bloody Bay Wall dives.
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