The RMS Rhone is a famous ship wreck that has given birth to a stunning marine park. It is among the most popular dives in the Caribbean. Its heartbreaking story continues to amaze and mesmerize us.
Captain Woolley opted for the closest course to open sea via the network between Dead Breast Island and Black Rock Factor on Salt Island. As Rhone came around to come close to the factor the tail end of the cyclone tossed her onto the rocks.
The Background
During the yellow fever epidemic of the 1860s, transatlantic guest ships quit on a regular basis at Roadway Harbour, Tortola and Great Harbour on Peter Island to transfer travelers and freight between them. Master Frederick Woolley of the Rhone had actually been warned by a dropping barometer that a tornado was coming, however thinking that the typhoon period mored than, he decided to stay at Great Harbour for the transfer with another RMS ship, Conway.
Just as they were passing Black Rock Point between Salt and Dead Breast islands, the weather condition instantly changed instructions. The initial stumble captured the Rhone on her side and she wrecked versus the rough reef. Legend has it that Captain Wooley was utilizing a silver tsp (which stays encrusted in the reefs today) to stir his favorite at the time. The wreckage is currently a popular dive site, home to an interesting selection of aquatic life. Many people concur that a complete expedition of the website needs 2 different dives, as the bow and strict sections are spread apart at different midsts.
The Wreckage
The Rhone relaxes under the cozy clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and is a well known dive site today. Visitors can check out the incredibly undamaged bow area, see where scenes from the 1977 movie The Deep were fired, and swim under the strict near its huge 15 foot prop. This bursting marine park is a reminder of the fragile 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 moved and he decided to attempt to defeat the approaching storm out into the open sea. He guided the ship to Black Rock Factor in between Dead Breast and Blonde Rock, a set of rocky pinnacles rising from the water. The ship struck the rocks and sank in two sections with the cold water of the inbound trend getting in touch with the hot boilers triggering an explosion and sinking the vessel with all 123 guests still connected to their beds.
Snorkeling
One of one of the most well-known wreck dives in the Caribbean, snorkelers can conveniently explore much of the Rhone by simply drifting on a mask and breathing through the sea. The much deeper bow section is specifically unspoiled, a kaleidoscope of orange cup reefs including yellowtail snapper, sennets and jacks. It's also where scenes from the 1977 flick The Deep were shot.
The stern and waistline are much more broken up, however they offer a haunting glance of a previous age. Divers must plan on at least 2 dives to completely experience the Rhone, specifically because presence can in some cases be complicated. Highlights consist of the fortunate porthole, which divers scrub for good luck, and the popular bronze propeller. 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 enthusiast. The ship is open to the general public for exploration, and numerous neighborhood dive watercrafts go to daily. The Rhone is secured by the National Park Service, and entryway is for free.
Diving
Among the Caribbean's most celebrated wreck dives, Rhone is a desired site for its historical appeal and bristling marine life. It's open and fairly risk-free, making it ideal for scuba divers of all experience levels.
The story behind the accident is heartbreaking: as she was transferring travelers to another ship, Conway, at Roadway Harbour on Tortola, Rhone rounded Black Rock Factor and ran into it at full speed. Warm central heating boilers wrecked versus cool seawater and exploded, sending the Rhone crashing right 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 much deeper waters, while the strict cleared up at regarding 80 feet. Both are engulfed in reefs and lived in by aquatic life, including schools of yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks and grunts. It takes at least two dives to check out the whole accident, though, because the bow and strict sections are separated by regarding yacht preference sheet 100 feet of water.
