The Accident of the Rhone
The RMS Rhone is a legendary ship accident that has brought to life a gorgeous aquatic park. It is just one of the most prominent dives in the Caribbean. Its unfortunate story remains to attract and captivate us.


Captain Woolley opted for the closest route to open sea through the network in between Dead Upper body Island and Black Rock Factor on Salt Island. As Rhone happened to come close to the point the tail end of the typhoon tossed her onto the rocks.

The History
During the yellow high temperature epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic guest ships quit consistently at Roadway Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to move travelers and cargo between them. Master Frederick Woolley of the Rhone had been advised by a going down measure that a tornado was coming, however believing that the hurricane period mored than, he made a decision 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 Breast islands, the weather condition all of a sudden changed direction. The first stumble caught the Rhone on her side and she smashed against the rough coral reef. Legend has it that Captain Wooley was using a silver tsp (which continues to be encrusted in the coral today) to stir his favorite at the time. The accident is now a popular dive website, home to a remarkable variety of marine life. Many people agree that a complete expedition of the site calls for 2 separate dives, as the bow and stern areas are spread out apart at different depths.

The Wreckage
The Rhone relaxes below the cozy clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a popular dive site today. Visitors can discover the incredibly intact bow area, see where scenes from the 1977 movie The Deep were shot, and swim under the stern near its huge 15 foot propeller. This teeming aquatic park is a tip of the delicate equilibrium in between man and nature.

On 29th October 1867 as Captain Wooley was preparing to secure the Rhone in Roadway Harbor, the wind and waves shifted and he determined to attempt to beat the coming close to storm out right into the open sea. He guided the ship to Black Rock Point between Dead Upper Body and Golden-haired Rock, a set of rough pinnacles rising from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in two sections with the cold water of the inbound tide speaking to the hot boilers triggering an explosion and sinking the vessel with all 123 guests still connected to their beds.

Snorkeling
One of one of the most well-known wreckage dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can quickly explore much of the Rhone by merely floating on a mask and breathing via the sea. The deeper bow section is especially well-preserved, a kaleidoscope of orange mug corals including yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's likewise where scenes from the 1977 movie The Deep were shot.

The stern and waistline are much more separated, however they offer a haunting look of a past period. Divers need to plan on at the very least two dives to totally experience the Rhone, particularly given that exposure can sometimes be difficult. Highlights consist of the lucky porthole, which scuba divers rub completely luck, and the famous bronze prop. The rusting skeleton of the Rhone is a famous sight in the BVI and is a must-see for any type of diving or boating enthusiast. The ship is penny jo sailing charters open to the public for expedition, and numerous neighborhood dive boats see daily. The Rhone is safeguarded by the National forest Service, and entryway is free of charge.

Diving
Among the Caribbean's most celebrated accident dives, Rhone is a desirable site for its historic allure and bursting aquatic life. It's open and fairly secure, making it suitable for scuba divers of all experience degrees.

The story behind the wreckage is terrible: as she was moving guests to one more ship, Conway, at Roadway Harbour on Tortola, Rhone rounded Black Rock Point and encountered it at full speed. Warm boilers shattered versus cold seawater and took off, sending the Rhone crashing right into the rocks and sinking in minutes. Only 23 of the 146 individuals aboard survived. Their bodies were buried on Salt Island.

The wreckage split in two when it sank, and the bow area drifted to much deeper waters, while the strict worked out at regarding 80 feet. Both are swallowed up in coral and populated by aquatic life, including institutions of yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks and grunts. It takes at the very least two dives to check out the whole wreckage, though, because the bow and strict areas are separated by regarding 100 feet of water.