USS Kittiwake damaged by Rina

[Ambassador Divers]

Hurricane Rina passed Grand Cayman by more than 100 miles. This does not mean that we were not affected. Here is a video that we shot today of damage done the the Kittiwake. She has moved approximately 60 feet toward the wall site "Sand Chute". One anchor chain was completely broken on the port side and she is laying on all three anchor chains from her starboard moorings. Many plates that were welded to her deck are missing but all in all she still looks mostly the same. Oh yeah, because she moved so far, the wreck is now exactly 10 feet deeper than she was prior to Rina...enjoy the video!

Kittiwake VS Hurricane Rina - YouTube

 

[ktomlinson]

Wow, thanks for the video! How did the island fare topside?

 

[davetowz]

Amazing the damage and movements to wrecks that have occurred this year from hurricanes.

 

[ScubaTigress]

Yikes, one more storm like that and it'll put that sucker on the reef!!! At least it's not a boat hazard anymore!!!

 

[deeper thoughts]

thnx.

 

[JackConnick]

I dove it not long after it went down. IMHO (and I'm certainly no expert), but I can't believe it was sited in such a shallow and exposed location. It's not at all surprising that it moved so far just from wave action. Imagine when a hurricane really hits there.

Jack

 

[SAPIUS]

Interesting.... in June of this year I flew over the Kittiwake site and took these pics (actually a lot more than these two) and will be interesting to see an aerial now (I will be back down in November and plan to do another fly over unless someone else beats me to it..)

 

[Chugwhump]

Many of our wrecks here in SoFla have moved about.
Many of them have also been ripped up like big beer cans.
I am no expert, but hurricanes do some pretty interesting sculpting, and I see this wreck atop that reef in the not too distant future even if they do go out there and anchor the thing from a bunch more places.

Chug
Not been to the Caymans as yet.

 

[VAL273]

I'm amazed such a huge vessel cam move laterally 60 ft. or more and still remain upright......you think it would have tipped onto it's side a bit by the wave action.......

 

[Dirty-Dog]

I have to say I was also supprised that she was sunk in such an exposed location. Does anybody know the logic behind this choice?