US Kittiwake

USS Kittiwake

Launched 2-July 1945   

Commissioned 10 July 1946 

Displacement 1,780 tons   

Draught 14 feet 3 inches   

Speed 16 knots   

Complement 102

Armament two 3 inch guns

The USS Kittiwake was moved from its position in Fort Eustis, Newport News, Virginia, to Dominion Marine on Wednesday. There it will begin several months of cleaning to ensure it is ready for its sinking.

 “The first phase is environmental mitigation whereby all hazardous materials are removed from the ship. This includes things like asbestos, mercury and a long list of materials which have already been identified on the ship.

There will be inspections throughout the project by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the United States Environmental Protection Agency as well as a third party independent who comes in and verifies that everything hazardous has been removed.

Following the initial cleaning, a second phase will be undertaken that involves preparing the Kittiwake specifically to be suitable for its new designation as an artificial reef on a sand patch at the northern end of Seven Mile Reef.

This involves removing] things that we don’t want on the ship when it’s sunk like loose pieces of wood and things will deteriorate – tiles on the floor, furniture and bunk beds. We’ll also be opening up bulkheads for divers to swim through.

The projected date for the Kittiwake’s sinking in Cayman is 4 July 2010.

There will also be an ongoing study that will monitor and document the progress of the Kittiwake and its impact on the local ecology. Artificial reefs such as the Kittiwake form natural habitats for fish as the food chain starts to assert itself.

Wreck Divers

The Kittiwake has been sunk and is open for diving.