The Wreckage of the Rhone
The RMS Rhone is a fabulous ship accident that has brought to life a stunning marine park. It is just one of one of the most popular dives in the Caribbean. Its heartbreaking story remains to captivate and astound us.


Captain Woolley opted for the closest route to open sea through the channel between Dead Breast Island and Black Rock Point on Salt Island. As Rhone occurred to come close to the point the tail end of the cyclone tossed her onto the rocks.

The Background
During the yellow high temperature epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic guest ships stopped frequently at Road Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to move travelers and freight between them. Master Frederick Woolley of the Rhone had actually been cautioned by a going down barometer that a tornado was coming, however thinking that the cyclone season mored than, he decided to remain at Great Harbour for the transfer with another RMS ship, Conway.

Equally as they were passing Black Rock Point in between Salt and Dead Upper body islands, the weather condition suddenly altered direction. The initial lurch captured the Rhone on her side and she shattered against the rough coral reef. Legend has it that Captain Wooley was making use of a silver teaspoon (which continues to be encrusted in the coral reefs today) to mix his cup of tea at the time. The wreckage is now a prominent dive website, home to an interesting variety of marine life. Lots of people agree that a full expedition of the website requires 2 different dives, as the bow and stern areas are spread out apart at different midsts.

The Wreck
The Rhone rests underneath the cozy clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a well known dive website today. Site visitors can explore the incredibly undamaged bow section, see where scenes from the 1977 movie The Deep were fired, and swim under the stern near its large 15 foot prop. This teeming marine park is a suggestion of the fragile equilibrium british virgin islands catamaran charter in between man and nature.

On 29th October 1867 as Captain Wooley was preparing to secure the Rhone in Road Harbor, the wind and waves moved and he determined to try to defeat the approaching storm out right into the ocean blue. He steered the ship to Black Rock Factor between Dead Upper Body and Golden-haired Rock, a set of rocky peaks rising up from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in two areas with the cold water of the incoming tide contacting the warm boilers causing a surge and sinking the vessel with all 123 guests still tied to their beds.

Snorkeling
Among the most well-known accident dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can easily discover much of the Rhone by simply drifting on a mask and breathing through the sea. The deeper bow area is especially unspoiled, a kaleidoscope of orange mug corals including yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's additionally where scenes from the 1977 flick The Deep were filmed.

The strict and stomach are much more separated, however they supply a haunting peek of a previous age. Scuba divers ought to intend on at the very least two dives to totally experience the Rhone, particularly since presence can occasionally be difficult. Highlights consist of the lucky porthole, which scuba divers rub completely luck, and the well-known bronze prop. The rusting skeletal system of the Rhone is a renowned sight in the BVI and is a must-see for any diving or boating lover. The ship is open to the general public for exploration, and several local dive watercrafts see daily. The Rhone is safeguarded by the National forest Solution, and entrance is at no cost.

Diving
One of the Caribbean's most celebrated accident dives, Rhone is a desirable site for its historical appeal and teeming marine life. It's open and reasonably risk-free, making it ideal for divers of all experience levels.

The tale behind the wreck is unfortunate: as she was transferring travelers to an additional ship, Conway, at Road Harbour on Tortola, Rhone rounded Black Rock Point and faced it at full speed. Hot boilers wrecked versus cold salt water and took off, sending out the Rhone collapsing into the rocks and sinking in minutes. Just 23 of the 146 individuals aboard endured. Their bodies were hidden on Salt Island.

The wreck split in two when it sank, and the bow section drifted to much deeper waters, while the strict worked out at regarding 80 feet. Both are swallowed up in coral reefs and populated by marine life, including institutions of yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks and grunts. It takes at least 2 dives to check out the whole wreckage, however, since the bow and stern sections are separated by concerning 100 feet of water.