A Tidbit About the Tibbetts

Greetings Blog readers!

You have probably been wondering when I am ever going to get around to telling all about our Cayman Brac adventure, but alas, there is so much to tell, that I will have to share in segments.  Today I want to talk about the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts.

Just as Stingray City is the “must dive” on Grand Cayman, the Tibbetts is the “must dive” on the Brac.  In fact even, if divers are staying on Little Cayman, they will likely take a day to come over to the Brac to dive this famous wreck.  

The Tibbetts, or Russian Frigate 356, began its life as part of Cuba’s Cold War fleet.  In 1996, the Cayman Islands purchased it with the intention of scuttling it to create an artificial reef. The ship was renamed for local politician and diver, Keith Tibbetts.  Originally the ship was sunk upright in 90ft. of water, but a storm in 2004 broke the ship in two, leaving the bow listing at approximately a 45 degree angle, and the midsection a debris field.  It lies about 200 yards off shore in front of the Buccaneer’s landmark, bbut most divers reach it by boat, attaching to one of the two moorings.

As you swim toward the wreck, garden eels seem to be coaxing you to come near, their heads bending like hundreds of fingers gesturing, “This way, this way!”   The Tibbetts, an impressive 330 ft long, seems to materialize out of the water as you approach; a ghost of its former self.  As a relatively new wreck, it is not yet fully encrusted with corals and sponges, but the process is surely under way.  Home to over 100 species of marine life, you may catch a glimpse of a goliath grouper, moray eel or other large critters on this wreck.  I found an approximately 5ft long barracuda chilling in the debris field, blending in perfectly with all the gray metal wreckage. Overwhelmed by the massiveness of this wreck, it would be easy to miss the little stuff, such as juvenile drums or secretary bennies, living here, but divers are well advised to stay on the lookout for both big and little creatures. If you are into dive caching, bring a trinket to leave and take something from the box hidden in the wreck.  (I can’t tell you where it is, the hunt is half the fun!)

I have dived this wreck now six times, and it remains both exciting and surprising.  I am looking forward to my next visit to see it again and to commune with its unique inhabitants.