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 among the most popular dives in the Caribbean. Its tragic tale remains to amaze and captivate us.


Captain Woolley opted for the closest path to ocean blue via the channel between Dead Upper body Island and Black Rock Point on Salt Island. As Rhone happened to come close to the factor the tail end of the hurricane tossed her onto the rocks.

The Background
Throughout the yellow fever epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic traveler ships quit consistently at Road Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to transfer guests and freight between them. Master Frederick Woolley of the Rhone had actually been warned by a dropping barometer that a tornado was coming, yet believing that the typhoon season mored than, he determined to stay at Great Harbour for the transfer with another RMS ship, Conway.

Just as they were passing Black Rock Factor in between Salt and Dead Upper body islands, the weather all of a sudden altered instructions. The first lurch caught the Rhone on her side and she smashed against the rough coral reef. Tale has it that Captain Wooley was making use of a silver tsp (which remains encrusted in the coral reefs today) to stir his favorite at the time. The accident is currently a preferred dive website, home to a fascinating array of marine life. The majority of people concur that a complete expedition of the website calls for 2 separate dives, as the bow and stern sections are spread apart at various depths.

The Wreckage
The Rhone rests under the warm clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a well known dive website today. Site visitors can discover the extremely undamaged bow area, see where scenes from the 1977 movie 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 Road Harbor, the wind and waves shifted and he chose to try to beat the approaching storm out 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 all yachting bahamas hot boilers creating a surge and sinking the vessel with all 123 guests still connected to their beds.

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

The stern and waistline are extra separated, however they offer a haunting glimpse of a previous age. Divers should intend on at the very least 2 dives to fully experience the Rhone, especially given that presence can often be challenging. Highlights consist of the fortunate 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 general 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 historic allure and bristling aquatic life. It's open and fairly secure, making it appropriate for scuba divers of all experience levels.

The tale behind the accident is tragic: as she was moving travelers to an additional ship, Conway, at Road Harbour on Tortola, Rhone rounded Black Rock Point and encountered it at full speed. Hot central heating boilers smashed versus chilly salt water and blew up, sending out the Rhone collapsing into the rocks and sinking in mins. Only 23 of the 146 individuals aboard survived. 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 check out the entire accident, though, considering that the bow and stern sections are divided by about 100 feet of water.