The RMS Rhone is a fabulous ship wreckage that has brought to life a gorgeous aquatic park. It is just one of the most prominent dives in the Caribbean. Its tragic story remains to fascinate and mesmerize us.
Captain Woolley selected the closest path to open sea with the channel between Dead Chest Island and Black Rock Factor on Salt Island. As Rhone occurred to come close to the factor the tail end of the cyclone threw her onto the rocks.
The History
During the yellow fever epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic passenger 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 warned by a going down measure that a tornado was coming, however believing that the hurricane 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 weather condition unexpectedly altered direction. The first stumble captured the Rhone on her side and she shattered against the rough coral reef. Legend has it that Captain Wooley was using 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 variety of marine 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 different 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 fired, and swim under the stern near its huge 15 foot prop. This brimming marine 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 decided to attempt to defeat the approaching storm out right into the open sea. He steered the ship to Black Rock Factor between Dead Upper Body and Golden-haired Rock, a pair of rough pinnacles rising up from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in 2 sections with the cold water of the inbound trend contacting the warm 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 conveniently discover much of the Rhone by simply floating on a mask and breathing via the sea. The much deeper bow section is specifically well-preserved, a kaleidoscope of orange cup corals including yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's likewise where scenes from the 1977 film The Deep were filmed.
The strict and belly are extra separated, but they use a haunting peek of a previous age. Divers must plan on at the very least two dives to totally experience the Rhone, particularly since exposure can sometimes be complicated. 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 legendary sight in the BVI and is a must-see for any kind of diving or boating enthusiast. The ship is open to the general public for exploration, and lots of local dive watercrafts visit daily. The Rhone is secured by the National Park Solution, and entrance is absolutely free.
Diving
One of the Caribbean's most renowned wreck 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 passengers 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 chilly salt water and exploded, sending the Rhone collapsing into the rocks and sinking in minutes. Just 23 of the 146 individuals aboard survived. Their bodies were hidden on Salt Island.
The wreckage split in two when it sank, and the bow section wandered to much deeper waters, while the stern cleared full moon bvi 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, given that the bow and stern sections are divided by concerning 100 feet of water.
