The RMS Rhone is an epic ship wreckage that has brought to life a gorgeous aquatic park. It is just one of the most prominent dives in the Caribbean. Its unfortunate story continues to attract and captivate us.
Captain Woolley selected the closest path to ocean blue 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 regularly at Roadway Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to move guests and freight 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 all of a sudden altered 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 teaspoon (which remains encrusted in the coral reefs today) to stir his favorite at the time. The wreckage is now a prominent dive site, home to a fascinating selection of aquatic life. Lots of people concur that a full expedition of the website requires 2 different dives, as the bow and stern sections are spread out apart at various depths.
The Wreckage
The Rhone rests below the cozy clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a renowned dive site today. Site visitors can check out the remarkably undamaged bow area, see where scenes from the 1977 film The Deep were fired, and swim under the strict near its big 15 foot prop. This bursting marine park is a reminder of the fragile 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 beat the coming close to storm out into the open sea. He steered the ship to Black Rock Point in between Dead Chest and Blond Rock, a pair of rough peaks rising up from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in 2 sections with the cold water of the inbound tide speaking to the hot boilers creating an explosion and sinking the vessel with all 123 guests still connected to their beds.
Snorkeling
Among one of the most well-known wreckage dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can all inclusive catamaran charter greece quickly explore much of the Rhone by merely floating on a mask and breathing via the sea. The deeper bow area is especially well-preserved, a kaleidoscope of orange mug corals including yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's also where scenes from the 1977 flick The Deep were shot.
The strict and belly are more separated, but they use a haunting glimpse of a previous era. Divers need to plan on at the very least two dives to totally experience the Rhone, especially given that visibility can occasionally be challenging. Emphasizes include the fortunate porthole, which divers scrub forever luck, and the well-known 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 fanatic. The ship is open to the public for expedition, and many regional dive boats check out daily. The Rhone is shielded by the National Park Solution, and entrance is cost free.
Diving
One of the Caribbean's most renowned wreckage dives, Rhone is a sought after website for its historical appeal and teeming marine life. It's open and reasonably safe, making it appropriate for scuba divers of all experience levels.
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 endured. Their bodies were buried on Salt Island.
The accident 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 explore the whole wreckage, however, because the bow and demanding areas are separated by regarding 100 feet of water.
