The Wreck of the Rhone
The RMS Rhone is a legendary ship accident that has given birth to a gorgeous marine park. It is one of one of the most prominent dives in the Caribbean. Its awful story continues to fascinate and astound us.


Captain Woolley selected the closest course to ocean blue via the channel in between Dead Upper body Island and Black Rock Point on Salt Island. As Rhone occurred to come close to 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 been warned by a dropping measure that a tornado was coming, but believing 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 condition unexpectedly transformed instructions. The initial lurch caught the Rhone on her side and she shattered versus the rough coral reef. Legend has it that Captain Wooley was using a silver teaspoon (which stays dirtied in the reefs today) to mix his favorite at the time. The wreck is now a prominent dive website, home to a remarkable selection of aquatic life. Most people agree that a full exploration of the site needs 2 different dives, as the bow and demanding areas are spread out apart at various midsts.

The Wreckage
The Rhone relaxes under the cozy 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 changed and he determined to attempt to defeat the coming close to storm out right into the ocean blue. He guided the ship to Black Rock Factor between Dead Breast and Blonde Rock, a pair of rocky peaks rising up from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in two sections with the cold water of the incoming tide getting in touch with the hot boilers triggering an explosion and sinking the vessel with all 123 travelers still tied to their beds.

Snorkeling
One of the most famous wreckage dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can conveniently discover 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 glimpse of a previous period. Scuba divers ought to plan on at the very least 2 dives to completely experience the Rhone, particularly since visibility can occasionally be difficult. Highlights include the fortunate porthole, which scuba divers scrub for good luck, and the famous bronze prop. The rusting skeleton of the Rhone is a renowned sight in the BVI and is a must-see for any kind of diving or boating lover. The ship is open to the public for expedition, and lots of local dive watercrafts check out daily. The Rhone is safeguarded by the National Park Solution, and entryway is at no cost.

Diving
One of the Caribbean's most popular accident dives, Rhone is a coveted website for its historical allure and yacht rentals bristling marine life. It's open and reasonably risk-free, making it suitable for scuba divers of all experience levels.

The tale 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 against chilly seawater and took off, sending the Rhone collapsing into the rocks and sinking in mins. Only 23 of the 146 individuals aboard made it through. Their bodies were buried on Salt Island.

The accident split in two when it sank, and the bow section wandered to deeper waters, while the demanding settled at concerning 80 feet. Both are engulfed in reefs and occupied by aquatic life, including colleges of yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks and grunts. It takes a minimum of 2 dives to check out the whole wreck, however, because the bow and strict sections are divided by about 100 feet of water.