The Wreckage of the Rhone
The RMS Rhone is a legendary ship wreck that has actually brought to life an attractive aquatic park. It is just one of one of the most popular dives in the Caribbean. Its heartbreaking story continues to fascinate and astound us.


Captain Woolley selected the closest course to open sea with the network between Dead Breast Island and Black Rock Factor on Salt Island. As Rhone occurred to approach the point the tail end of the cyclone threw her onto the rocks.

The History
During the yellow high temperature epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic guest ships stopped on a regular basis at Roadway Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to transfer travelers and freight in between them. Master Frederick Woolley of the Rhone had actually been alerted by a going down barometer that a storm was coming, however thinking that the typhoon period mored than, he decided to stay at Great Harbour for the transfer with one more RMS ship, Conway.

Equally as they were passing Black Rock Factor in between Salt and Dead Chest islands, the weather unexpectedly transformed direction. The initial lurch captured the Rhone on her side and she wrecked against the rocky reef. Legend has it that Captain Wooley was utilizing a silver tsp (which continues to be dirtied in the coral today) to stir his cup of tea at the time. The accident is now a prominent dive website, home to a remarkable selection of marine life. Many people agree that a full expedition of the website needs 2 different dives, as the bow and strict areas are spread out apart at various midsts.

The Wreckage
The Rhone relaxes beneath the warm clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a celebrated dive site today. Visitors can explore the remarkably intact bow section, see where scenes from the 1977 film The Deep were shot, and swim under the stern near its large 15 foot propeller. This teeming marine park is a reminder of the delicate balance between man and nature.

On 29th October 1867 as Captain Wooley was preparing to anchor the Rhone in Roadway Harbor, the wind and waves shifted and he made a decision to attempt to defeat the coming close to storm out right into the open sea. He steered the ship to Black Rock Point between Dead Chest and Blonde Rock, a pair of rough peaks rising from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in 2 sections with the cold water of the incoming tide getting in touch with the hot boilers causing a surge and sinking the vessel with all 123 guests still linked to their beds.

Snorkeling
Among the most well-known wreck dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can easily explore much of the Rhone by merely drifting on a mask and breathing with the sea. The deeper bow section is particularly unspoiled, a kaleidoscope of orange mug corals reefs teeming with yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's also where scenes from the 1977 movie The Deep were filmed.

The strict and stomach are a lot more broken up, but they offer a haunting glance of a previous age. Divers should intend on a minimum of two dives to fully experience the Rhone, specifically considering that exposure can in some cases be challenging. Highlights consist of the lucky porthole, which divers massage completely luck, and the popular bronze propeller. The rusting skeletal system of the Rhone is a famous sight in the BVI and is a must-see for any diving or boating fanatic. The ship is open to the public for exploration, and several regional dive boats see daily. The Rhone is secured by the National Park Service, and entry is at no cost.

Diving
One of the Caribbean's most popular accident dives, Rhone is a sought after website for its historical allure and bristling marine life. It's open and relatively secure, making it suitable for scuba divers of all experience levels.

The story behind the accident is terrible: as she was moving travelers to another ship, Conway, at Roadway Harbour on Tortola, Rhone rounded Black Rock Point and faced it at full speed. Hot central heating boilers shattered versus chilly seawater and exploded, sending catamaran charter out the Rhone crashing right into the rocks and sinking in minutes. Just 23 of the 146 people aboard made it through. Their bodies were hidden on Salt Island.

The wreck split in two when it sank, and the bow area drifted to much deeper waters, while the stern cleared up at about 80 feet. Both are swallowed up in coral and lived in by marine life, consisting of schools of yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks and grunts. It takes at the very least two dives to discover the entire wreckage, though, considering that the bow and stern areas are separated by regarding 100 feet of water.