The RMS Rhone is a legendary ship wreckage that has given birth to a beautiful marine park. It is among one of the most popular dives in the Caribbean. Its awful tale continues to captivate and mesmerize us.
Captain Woolley selected the closest path to open sea with the channel between Dead Chest Island and Black Rock Point on Salt Island. As Rhone occurred to come close to the factor the tail end of the storm threw her onto the rocks.
The Background
During the yellow fever epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic passenger ships stopped routinely at Road Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to move guests and freight in between them. Master Frederick Woolley of the Rhone had been cautioned by a dropping barometer that a tornado was coming, yet thinking that the typhoon season was over, he determined to remain at Great Harbour for the transfer with one more RMS ship, Conway.
Just as they were passing Black Rock Point between Salt and Dead Upper body islands, the climate unexpectedly altered direction. The initial 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 stern areas 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 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 strict near its huge 15 foot propeller. This teeming aquatic park is a pointer of the delicate equilibrium between man and nature.
On 29th October 1867 as Captain Wooley was preparing to secure the Rhone in Road Harbor, the wind and waves shifted and he determined to try to beat the coming close to storm out into the ocean blue. He guided the ship to Black Rock Point in between Dead Breast and Blonde Rock, a set of rocky peaks rising from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in two areas with the cold water of the incoming tide calling the hot central heating boilers triggering an explosion and sinking the vessel with all 123 guests still connected to their beds.
Snorkeling
Among one of the most famous wreckage dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can quickly discover much of the Rhone by just floating on a mask and breathing via the sea. The deeper bow area is especially unspoiled, 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 stomach are more separated, but they use a haunting peek of a previous age. Scuba divers ought to intend on a minimum of 2 dives to completely experience the Rhone, specifically considering that visibility can often be tricky. Emphasizes include the fortunate porthole, which divers scrub for good tortola full moon party 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 kind of diving or boating lover. The ship is open to the general public for exploration, and several local dive watercrafts visit daily. The Rhone is secured by the National Park Service, and entry is at no cost.
Diving
Among the Caribbean's most well known wreckage dives, Rhone is a coveted website for its historical appeal and bristling marine life. It's open and fairly secure, making it appropriate for scuba divers of all experience levels.
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 cold salt water and took off, sending the Rhone collapsing 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 section 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 2 dives to explore the entire wreckage, though, because the bow and demanding areas are separated by regarding 100 feet of water.
