Tibbetts wreck

[choiahoy]

Thanks for all the info everyone!

 

[divezonescuba]

I think the Tibbetts is one of the best wrecks in the caribbean. The long passage way swim is really interesting. Since it is at a 45 degree angle, you can't swim it upright. They warned us in advance that a diver might experience vertigo. We are planning on diving it multiple times from the shore on our next trip. It is a bit dangerous as it has not been sanitized for diving. There are a lot of wires in some of the compartments.

Well worth the trip from LC even with the fuel surcharge.

I may be in the minority in that I enjoyed diving CB much more than LC and do not plan on going from CB to LC again.

 

[Doctorfish]

Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Damselfish]

They used to do the trip from LCBR on a regular basis, but the last few times we've been there they didn't - they only go if enough people want to, and I guess there hasn't been much demand. I think LCBR has a high repeat guest rate so possibly everyone has been there done that. If you have the option it's probably worth doing once anyway, depending how much you like wrecks vs walls, or if you want to mix it up a bit.

 

[Doctorfish]

Damselfish, your comment proves my point. Seems the divers at LCBR vote with their feet ( or fins ).

 

[KathyV]

They used to do the trip from LCBR on a regular basis, but the last few times we've been there they didn't - they only go if enough people want to, and I guess there hasn't been much demand. I think LCBR has a high repeat guest rate so possibly everyone has been there done that. If you have the option it's probably worth doing once anyway, depending how much you like wrecks vs walls, or if you want to mix it up a bit.

Damselfish, your comment proves my point. Seems the divers at LCBR vote with their feet ( or fins ).

That's probably true, and I haven't dived the Tibbetts from LC because I've done it before, but I still think that a lot depends on how much you like wreck dives. The link below is for an extensive video of the Tibbetts dive that was just posted on SB by a member who recently returned from LCBR. He took the trip over to Brac to dive the wreck for the 5th time - and there is a boat full of enthusiastic divers with him.

If the OP prefers beautiful wall dives then he should stay on LC and enjoy Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson's Bight, but if he also likes wreck dives then the Tibbetts is an easy, inexpensive, and worthwhile trip - and he should definitely do it at least one time.

We did our 500th dive on the Tibbetts on our anniversary, and it was a great dive and a happy memory so I am probably biased, but as long as the conditions are good, it can be a great dive.

Cayman Brac Wreck Russian War Ship 356 - Video

 

[GlenElectronic]

I've just come back from Little Cayman Beach Resort (5th time) and I always go on the boat trip to dive the wreck at Cayman Brac. It's one of the better wreck dives in the Caribbean and there is a lot to see. From my perspective, I like diving the bloody bay wall all week and doing a morning trip to the Russian War Ship.

Here is a video I just shot.

 

[KathyV]

I think the Tibbetts is one of the best wrecks in the caribbean. The long passage way swim is really interesting. Since it is at a 45 degree angle, you can't swim it upright. They warned us in advance that a diver might experience vertigo. We are planning on diving it multiple times from the shore on our next trip. It is a bit dangerous as it has not been sanitized for diving. There are a lot of wires in some of the compartments...

You know, I am sure that the boat was prepared for diving before it was sunk (but maybe not good enough!) but the havoc caused by Hurricane Ivan exposed a lot of jagged edges, pipes, and wires that must be avoided. I once saw a TV documentary by Jean Michel Cousteau and he discussed the history of the boat and the prep done before scuttling and he filmed the sinking. He actually rode the wreck down during the sinking. The documentary was titled "Destroyer at Peace" but he took a little artistic license with the title, because the boat is a frigate and not a destroyer.

We had dived the wreck before Ivan and I don't recall any obvious dangers, but the changes after the storm were amazing. The boat was ripped in half and a lot of scary stuff was exposed. It's still a great dive but you just have to avoid the nasty bits!

 

[choiahoy]

Does anyone know if LCBR does the Tibbetts as an afternoon dive?

 

[GlenElectronic]

They do not. Because you can potentially dive to 100 ft (laying on the bottom) they will only make this a morning dive.