The Wreckage of the Rhone
The RMS Rhone is a legendary ship wreckage that has brought to life a beautiful aquatic park. It is one of one of the most prominent dives in the Caribbean. Its tragic tale continues to attract and mesmerize us.


Captain Woolley selected the closest path to open sea with the channel between Dead Chest Island and Black Rock Point on Salt Island. As Rhone occurred to come close to the factor the tail end of the storm threw her onto the rocks.

The Background
During the yellow fever epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic passenger ships stopped routinely at Road Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to move guests and freight between them. Master Frederick Woolley of the Rhone had been warned by a dropping measure that a tornado was coming, however believing that the typhoon season mored than, he determined to remain at Great Harbour for the transfer with one more RMS ship, Conway.

Just as they were passing Black Rock Point in between Salt and Dead Chest islands, the climate instantly transformed instructions. The initial stumble captured the Rhone on her side and she shattered against the rocky reef. Tale has it that Captain Wooley was utilizing a silver tsp (which stays encrusted in the coral today) to mix his favorite at the time. The wreck is now a preferred dive site, home to an interesting range of marine life. Most individuals concur that a full exploration of the website needs two different dives, as the bow and demanding sections are spread out apart at different midsts.

The Wreckage
The Rhone rests beneath the cozy clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a well known dive site today. Site visitors can check out the remarkably undamaged bow section, see where scenes from the 1977 movie The Deep were shot, and swim under the stern near its huge 15 foot prop. This teeming aquatic park is a tip of the delicate equilibrium in between guy and nature.

On 29th October 1867 as Captain Wooley was preparing to secure the Rhone in Road Harbor, the wind and waves shifted and he determined to try to defeat the approaching storm out right into the open sea. He guided the ship to Black Rock Point between Dead Upper Body and Blonde Rock, a set of rocky peaks rising from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in two areas with the cold water of the incoming trend getting in full moon party virgin islands touch with the warm boilers creating an explosion and sinking the vessel with all 123 passengers still connected to their beds.

Snorkeling
One of one of the most famous accident dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can easily discover much of the Rhone by simply drifting on a mask and breathing with the sea. The much deeper bow area is particularly unspoiled, a kaleidoscope of orange mug corals reefs teeming with yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's likewise where scenes from the 1977 flick The Deep were shot.

The stern and waistline are a lot more separated, however they supply a haunting peek of a previous era. Divers need to plan on a minimum of 2 dives to completely experience the Rhone, specifically because exposure can sometimes be difficult. Emphasizes include the fortunate porthole, which scuba divers rub completely luck, and the renowned bronze propeller. The rusting skeletal system of the Rhone is an iconic sight in the BVI and is a must-see for any type of diving or boating fanatic. The ship is open to the public for exploration, and several local dive boats see daily. The Rhone is protected by the National Park Solution, and entry is for free.

Diving
Among the Caribbean's most celebrated accident dives, Rhone is a desired site for its historical appeal and bristling marine life. It's open and relatively risk-free, making it appropriate for scuba divers of all experience levels.

The story behind the wreck is heartbreaking: as she was moving passengers to one more ship, Conway, at Roadway Harbour on Tortola, Rhone rounded Black Rock Point and encountered it at full speed. Warm central heating boilers smashed against chilly salt water and took off, sending out the Rhone crashing into the rocks and sinking in mins. Just 23 of the 146 individuals aboard survived. Their bodies were buried on Salt Island.

The wreck split in two when it sank, and the bow section wandered to much deeper waters, while the strict settled at about 80 feet. Both are engulfed in coral reefs and populated by aquatic life, consisting of colleges of yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks and grunts. It takes at the very least 2 dives to explore the entire accident, though, considering that the bow and strict sections are separated by regarding 100 feet of water.