Carrie Lee

The Carrie Lee was an island freighter commissioned out of Grand Turk that carried supplies between Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. The ship was traveling between the two islands and capsized in heavy seas. The Carrie Lee had become unstable because it had a load of containers on its deck, but nothing in her holds below. This altered the stability of the ship such that it was top-heavy. In 1985, the Carrie Lee capsized while en route to Cayman Brac, about 10 miles east of Grand Cayman. Several unsuccessful attempts to tow the vessel to port were made before she finally sank in 100 feet of water of the Southern tip of the West side of Grand Cayman. As a result of strong ocean storms, the Carrie Lee has slid down a steep slope towards a ledge, dropping off to an abyss. If you look closely, a grooves are visible from where the Carrie Lee carved out a trench as she slid down towards the wall. Today, the Carrie Lee sits in approximately 165-240' of water nearly at the base of a ledge at 260. A few more strong ocean storms, and the Carrie Lee may be no longer.

Photos are from video by David Caldwell

DiveTech at Turtle Reef (left) and Dave setting up his gear at right.

Heather dropping into the blue abyss - the blue water affords outstanding visibility.

Arriving on the wreck, the heavily growth encrusted mooring on the port side leads to the stern section of the Carrie Lee.

Looking forward from the starboard side the deck stretches out towards the bow, sloping steeply downward (L) and

(R) the deckhouse in the aft portion of the ship stands intact covered in marine life.

Heather finds some lee from the current along the lower port side (L) and (R) looking forward down the wreck from the

starboard side to the bow. The bow sits near the ledge at 260' which drops off - there's a large winch on the bow but

its otherwise just flat decking as you head forward.

Forward to Page 2 of Carrie Lee Photos