Learn How To Be Successful At Finding The Right Luxury Yacht Charter

The Accident of the Rhone
The RMS Rhone is a legendary ship wreckage that has actually brought to life a beautiful marine park. It is just one of one of the most prominent dives in the Caribbean. Its heartbreaking story continues to fascinate and astound us.


Captain Woolley chose the closest course to ocean blue through the channel in between Dead Upper body Island and Black Rock Point on Salt Island. As Rhone came around to approach the factor the tail end of the storm threw her onto the rocks.

The Background
Throughout the yellow high temperature epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic guest ships quit regularly at Roadway Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to move guests and freight in between them. Master Frederick Woolley of the Rhone had actually been alerted by a going down measure that a storm 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 Factor in between Salt and Dead Breast islands, the weather condition all of a sudden changed direction. The initial stumble captured the Rhone on her side and she smashed 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 favorite at the time. The accident is now a popular dive website, home to a fascinating array of aquatic life. Lots of people agree that a full expedition of the site requires 2 separate dives, as the bow and stern areas are spread apart at various midsts.

The Wreck
The Rhone relaxes underneath the warm clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a popular dive website today. Visitors can discover the extremely intact bow area, see where scenes from the 1977 movie The Deep were shot, and swim under the strict near its big 15 foot prop. This bursting marine park is a suggestion of the delicate equilibrium in between man and nature.

On 29th October 1867 as Captain Wooley was preparing to secure the Rhone in Road Harbor, the wind and waves changed and he made a decision to try to defeat the approaching storm out right into the open sea. He guided the ship to Black Rock Factor between Dead Upper Body and Blonde Rock, a set of rocky peaks rising up from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in 2 areas with the cold water of the incoming tide calling the warm central heating boilers creating an explosion and sinking the vessel with all 123 passengers still connected to their beds.

Snorkeling
Among one of the most popular wreckage dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can easily explore much of the Rhone by simply floating on a mask and breathing with the sea. The deeper bow area is especially unspoiled, a kaleidoscope of orange mug reefs including yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's meltemi wind additionally where scenes from the 1977 movie The Deep were filmed.

The stern and belly are much more broken up, however they supply a haunting look of a past age. Scuba divers must intend on at least 2 dives to completely experience the Rhone, especially because presence can often be challenging. Highlights consist of the lucky porthole, which divers scrub for good luck, and the popular bronze propeller. The rusting skeletal system of the Rhone is an iconic sight in the BVI and is a must-see for any diving or boating fanatic. The ship is open to the general public for expedition, and lots of local dive watercrafts visit daily. The Rhone is secured by the National forest Service, and entrance is at no cost.

Diving
One of the Caribbean's most celebrated wreckage dives, Rhone is a sought after website for its historical appeal and brimming aquatic life. It's open and reasonably risk-free, making it ideal for divers of all experience levels.

The story behind the wreck is unfortunate: 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 central heating boilers shattered versus cool seawater and took off, sending the Rhone collapsing into the rocks and sinking in minutes. Just 23 of the 146 individuals aboard endured. Their bodies were hidden on Salt Island.

The accident split in two when it sank, and the bow section drifted to deeper waters, while the stern cleared up at about 80 feet. Both are swallowed up in coral and inhabited by marine life, consisting of colleges of yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks and grunts. It takes a minimum of two dives to explore the whole wreck, however, considering that the bow and strict sections are separated by about 100 feet of water.