RMS Rhone Wreck

The British Virgin Islands are known for crystal-clear blue waters that make for ideal scuba and snorkel conditions. And if you’re going to pick one wreck to explore, it should be the RMS Rhone. This iron-hulled ship sank in 1867. Since then, the site has seen much coral growth, and today attracts an abundance of aquatic life in its strange spaces and through-ways. 

But the current state of the Rhone is only one of its selling points. The other is the story of how it got there. The 310-foot ship was built in England in 1865, a cutting-edge, steam-powered ship that once held over 300 passenger cabins, most of them first class. Its massive bronze propeller helped it reach speeds of up to 14 knots, and its ability to withstand storms gave it an “unsinkable” reputation.

Its maiden voyage took the Rhone from Southampton, England to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the Brazilian Emperor even came on board; the grand ship’s arrival was a momentous event. 

After a few years of travel between England and the Americas, the Rhone came face to face with its fate on October 29, 1867. While the ship was refueling on Peter Island, a storm approached, which turned out to be a hurricane. Captain Robert F. Wooley tried to make it to open water before things got really bad, but they hit the eye of the hurricane just before those open waters arrived. When the seawater breached the hull and hit the mega-hot boilers, it caused an explosion that split the boat in two. The ship sank, with only 23 survivors, all of them crew.

For divers, the Rhone has become one of the most popular sites across the BVI. Its two halves lie about 100 feet from each other, meaning that the whole thing is best experienced across two dives. While the boat was cleaved in two, many of its architectural elements are still visible, like the foremast, crow’s nest, cannon, propeller, and a “lucky porthole” you can still see through. It’s a veritable underwater amusement park, albeit one with a tragic history. And when you get down there, you’ll find schools of fish, plus an abundance of turtles, which, along with the coral, make this wreck something of a composite natural wonder.