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Low algae-covered coral heads on pale sand in green-blue water, with several yellow-and-black striped fish swimming above — Ocho Rios

Ocho Rios · Jamaica · Wreck · Cave & cavern

SS Kathryn

A former Canadian Navy minesweeper with caverns beside it

Area photo: R9 Studios FL (Thanks to all the fans!!!) · CC BY 2.0

The SS Kathryn is a 37 m (120 ft) WWII minesweeper that served with the Canadian Navy and was sunk off Ocho Rios in the 1950s to form an artificial reef. The Kathryn Caverns lie beside the hull, so a single dive here takes in both a wreck and a set of caverns.

Also known as SS Kathryn Wreck, Katherine, Katherine Shipwreck.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of SS Kathryn: typical dive to 15 m (to 50 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit15 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Ocho Rios and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The minesweeper rests on the bottom in 15 m (50 ft) of water, and its topmost structure reaches to 6 m (20 ft) below the surface. Coral covers the whole wreck and reef fish crowd it. Experienced divers can go inside the wheelhouse; others stay on the exterior. The Kathryn Caverns sit next to the wreck on the same site. Stingrays lie in the sand around the hull, and lobsters, eels and nurse sharks are likely sightings on the dive.

The wreck

Vessel
SS Kathryn
Type
Minesweeper
Length
37 m (121 ft)
Cause
Sunk deliberately in the 1950s to create an artificial reef
Lies
On the bottom in 15 m (50 ft), its top structure 6 m (20 ft) below the surface

Marine life and season

  • Stingrays
Month-by-month season rating for SS Kathryn
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodFairFairFairFairGoodPrime

Season follows Ocho Rios: December to April is the dry season and Jamaica's peak; July to October is the rainy and hurricane season, when rain can cut visibility.

Dive videos

The SS Kathryn wreck scuba dive (Catheryne wreck) · The Seelhammers on YouTube

Questions divers ask

Can the SS Kathryn be combined with a cavern dive?+

Yes. The Kathryn Caverns lie beside the wreck, so one dive on the site covers both the minesweeper and the caverns.

Sources

  1. Best Dive Sites in Jamaica — PADI
  2. Diving in Jamaica — DiveZone
  3. Diving in Ocho Rios — PADI

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