The Wreckage of the Rhone
The RMS Rhone is a famous ship accident that has actually brought to life a stunning marine park. It is among one of the most preferred dives in the Caribbean. Its unfortunate story remains to fascinate and captivate us.


Captain Woolley chose the closest route to ocean blue via the channel between Dead Chest Island and Black Rock Point on Salt Island. As Rhone came around to approach the factor the tail end of the typhoon threw her onto the rocks.

The History
During the yellow fever epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic passenger ships stopped routinely at Road Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to transfer travelers and cargo in between them. Master Frederick Woolley of the Rhone had actually been warned by a dropping measure that a tornado was coming, however thinking that the storm season mored than, he decided to remain at Great Harbour for the transfer with an additional RMS ship, Conway.

Just as they were passing Black Rock Factor between Salt and Dead Upper body islands, the weather condition suddenly altered direction. The preliminary lurch captured the Rhone on her side and she smashed versus the rough coral reef. Tale has it that Captain Wooley was utilizing a silver tsp (which stays encrusted in the reefs today) to stir his cup of tea at the time. The wreckage is now a popular dive website, home to an interesting range of marine life. Most people concur that a complete exploration of the website needs 2 separate dives, as the bow and stern sections are spread apart at different midsts.

The Wreck
The Rhone rests under the cozy clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a renowned dive site today. Visitors can discover the incredibly intact bow area, see where scenes from the 1977 film The Deep were shot, and swim under the strict near its big 15 foot propeller. This bursting aquatic park is a tip of the delicate balance in between man and nature.

On 29th October 1867 as Captain Wooley was preparing to anchor the Rhone in Roadway Harbor, the wind and waves changed and he decided to try to defeat the coming close to storm out into the open sea. He steered the ship to Black Rock Point in between Dead Upper Body and Blond Rock, a set of rocky peaks rising up from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in 2 sections with the cold water of the inbound tide speaking to the hot central heating boilers triggering a surge and sinking the vessel with all 123 travelers still linked all-inclusive caribbean catamaran charters to their beds.

Snorkeling
One of one of the most well-known wreckage dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can easily discover much of the Rhone by simply floating on a mask and breathing through the sea. The deeper bow section is especially well-preserved, a kaleidoscope of orange mug corals reefs including yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's additionally where scenes from the 1977 flick The Deep were recorded.

The stern and midsection are much more broken up, but they provide a haunting peek of a past age. Scuba divers must intend on at the very least 2 dives to totally experience the Rhone, specifically given that presence can occasionally be tricky. Emphasizes consist of the fortunate porthole, which scuba divers massage forever luck, and the famous bronze prop. The rusting skeletal system of the Rhone is a famous view in the BVI and is a must-see for any type of diving or boating lover. The ship is open to the public for exploration, and many local dive watercrafts see daily. The Rhone is shielded by the National forest Solution, and entryway is absolutely free.

Diving
Among the Caribbean's most well known accident dives, Rhone is a sought after site for its historic attraction and bursting aquatic life. It's open and fairly safe, making it suitable for scuba divers of all experience degrees.

The tale behind the accident is terrible: as she was transferring guests to an additional ship, Conway, at Road Harbour on Tortola, Rhone rounded Black Rock Point and ran into it at full speed. Warm central heating boilers smashed against cool salt water and blew up, sending the Rhone collapsing right into the rocks and sinking in minutes. Only 23 of the 146 individuals aboard made it through. Their bodies were buried on Salt Island.

The wreck split in two when it sank, and the bow area wandered to deeper waters, while the demanding settled at about 80 feet. Both are swallowed up in coral and lived in by aquatic life, consisting of colleges of yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks and grunts. It takes at least 2 dives to check out the whole wreck, though, considering that the bow and demanding sections are separated by about 100 feet of water.