The Wreckage of the Rhone
The RMS Rhone is a legendary ship accident that has actually given birth to an attractive marine park. It is among one of the most popular dives in the Caribbean. Its heartbreaking tale continues to amaze and astound us.


Captain Woolley selected the closest course to ocean blue with the channel between Dead Chest Island and Black Rock Point on Salt Island. As Rhone came around 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 regularly 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 cautioned 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 Upper body islands, the climate unexpectedly altered direction. The initial stumble captured the Rhone on her side and she shattered against the rough coral reef. Tale has it that Captain Wooley was utilizing a silver teaspoon (which continues to be dirtied in the coral reefs today) to stir his cup of tea at the time. The wreckage is currently a prominent dive site, home to a remarkable selection of aquatic life. The majority of people agree that a complete expedition of the site requires 2 different dives, as the bow and demanding sections are spread out apart at various depths.

The Wreckage
The Rhone relaxes below the warm clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a popular dive website today. Visitors can explore the extremely intact 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 brimming aquatic park is a tip of the delicate balance in between guy and nature.

On 29th October 1867 as Captain Wooley was preparing to anchor the Rhone in Roadway Harbor, the wind and waves moved and he chose to attempt to defeat the approaching storm out right into the open sea. He steered the ship to Black Rock Factor between Dead Chest and Blond Rock, a pair of rough peaks rising up from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in 2 sections with the cold water of the inbound trend getting in touch with the warm central heating boilers causing a surge and sinking the vessel with all 123 passengers still linked to their beds.

Snorkeling
Among the most renowned accident dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can easily check out much of the Rhone by simply drifting on a mask and breathing with the sea. The much deeper bow section is particularly unspoiled, a kaleidoscope of orange cup reefs teeming with yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's additionally where scenes from the 1977 motion picture The Deep sailing charters were filmed.

The demanding and belly are extra broken up, yet they provide a haunting glimpse of a previous era. Scuba divers should intend on at least 2 dives to fully experience the Rhone, specifically because presence can often be tricky. Emphasizes include the lucky porthole, which scuba divers scrub for good luck, and the popular bronze propeller. The rusting skeleton of the Rhone is an iconic sight in the BVI and is a must-see for any kind of diving or boating lover. The ship is open to the general public for exploration, and several local dive watercrafts visit daily. The Rhone is secured by the National Park Solution, and entry is at no cost.

Diving
Among the Caribbean's most well known wreckage dives, Rhone is a sought after website for its historical appeal and teeming marine life. It's open and reasonably safe, making it appropriate for scuba divers of all experience levels.

The tale behind the wreck is awful: as she was moving passengers to an additional ship, Conway, at Road Harbour on Tortola, Rhone rounded Black Rock Point and faced it at full speed. Hot boilers wrecked against chilly salt water and exploded, sending out the Rhone collapsing 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 section wandered to much deeper waters, while the stern cleared up at concerning 80 feet. Both are engulfed in coral reefs and lived in by marine life, including colleges of yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks and grunts. It takes at least two dives to check out the whole wreck, though, considering that the bow and stern sections are divided by concerning 100 feet of water.