The Accident of the Rhone
The RMS Rhone is a fabulous ship wreckage that has actually given birth to a stunning marine park. It is one of the most preferred dives in the Caribbean. Its heartbreaking tale continues to fascinate and astound us.


Captain Woolley chose the closest course to open sea through the network in between Dead Chest 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 frequently at Roadway Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to move passengers and cargo in 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 stumble caught the Rhone on her side and she smashed against the rocky coral reef. Tale has it that Captain Wooley was making use of a silver tsp (which remains encrusted in the coral today) to stir his cup of tea at the time. The accident is currently a preferred dive website, home to a remarkable array of marine life. The majority of people concur that a complete expedition of the website calls for 2 different dives, as the bow and strict areas are spread apart at different depths.

The Wreck
The Rhone rests beneath the warm clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a well known dive site today. Visitors can check out the incredibly intact bow section, see where scenes from the 1977 film The Deep were shot, and swim under the demanding near its big 15 foot propeller. This brimming marine park is a pointer 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 decided to try to defeat the coming close to storm out right into the ocean blue. He guided the ship to Black Rock Factor in between Dead Breast and Golden-haired Rock, a pair of rocky pinnacles rising up from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in 2 areas with the cold water of the inbound trend calling the warm boilers causing an explosion and sinking the vessel with all 123 passengers still tied to their beds.

Snorkeling
Among one of the most popular accident dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can quickly check out much of the Rhone by simply floating on a mask and breathing via the sea. The much deeper bow area is especially well-preserved, a kaleidoscope of orange cup corals including yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's additionally where scenes from the 1977 motion picture The Deep were shot.

The stern and midsection are extra separated, however they provide a haunting peek of a past period. Scuba divers ought to plan on at least 2 dives to completely experience the Rhone, particularly because visibility can occasionally be difficult. Highlights include the fortunate porthole, which scuba divers rub for good luck, and the renowned bronze prop. The rusting skeleton of the Rhone is an iconic view in the BVI and is a must-see for any type of diving or boating enthusiast. The ship is open to the general public for expedition, and numerous local dive watercrafts go to daily. The Rhone is protected by the National forest Service, and entrance is free of charge.

Diving
Among the Caribbean's most well known wreck dives, Rhone is a desirable website for its historical attraction and brimming marine life. It's open and reasonably risk-free, making it ideal for scuba divers of all experience levels.

The tale behind the accident is all inclusive yacht charters tragic: as she was moving passengers to an additional ship, Conway, at Road Harbour on Tortola, Rhone rounded Black Rock Factor and encountered it at full speed. Hot central heating boilers smashed versus cold salt water and exploded, sending out the Rhone crashing right into the rocks and sinking in minutes. Just 23 of the 146 people 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 discover the entire wreckage, though, considering that the bow and stern areas are separated by regarding 100 feet of water.