RMS Rhone

The Royal Mail Steamer Rhone sank at Salt Island in the great hurricane of October 1867, taking around 123 of the roughly 145 people aboard, and more than a century and a half later she remains the Caribbean's defining wreck dive. The bow section lies on its side in the mid-twenties, hull plates open like a cathedral nave, sheathed in orange cup corals and swirling with silversides. The shallow stern holds the enormous bronze propeller, the famous lucky porthole, and enough light for long, easy exploration. Scenes from the 1977 film The Deep were shot here. Dive her with the respect a grave site deserves.

Il momento che aspettavi: Intact coral-sheathed bow section, giant propeller in the shallows, richest wreck history in the region

Topografia: Rocky point and sand at Salt Island, wreckage in two depth bands

Corrente: Current at Black Rock Point varies; the stern shallows can also carry surge.

Entrata: National park moorings serve the bow and stern sections separately; most operators run it as a two-tank dive.

Pericoli: Surge near Black Rock Point; open swim-throughs only, with true penetration inappropriate given the wreck's age and status.

Permessi & regole: National Parks Trust permit required; arranged by operators.

Conservazione: The wreck and surrounding waters form the BVI's Wreck of the Rhone Marine Park; removing anything is illegal.

Nitrox: Vale la pena qui: i profili rientrano nell'intervallo in cui l'aria arricchita (nitrox) prolunga in modo significativo il tempo di non-decompressione (con la formazione necessaria per utilizzarla).