Name: Wreck of the RMS Rhone
Rating: 5.0

Other Islands

British Virgin Islands

RMS Rhone was a UK Royal Mail Ship owned by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (RMSP). She was wrecked off the coast of Salt Island in the British Virgin Islands on 29 October 1867 in a hurricane, killing 123 people. She is now a popular Caribbean wreck dive site.

Wreck of the RMS Rhone

Great Reef dive. many Fish

Just past the wreck of the Rhone

Rhone Reef

Probably the most popular wreck of all British Virgin Islands dive sites!

The RMS Rhone was a British packet ship owned by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. She was wrecked off the coast of Salt Island in the British Virgin Islands on October 29, 1867 during a hurricane. She was split in two and sunk directly off of Black Rock Point. Her bow now lies in about 80 feet of water while her stern is in about 30.Over one hundred passengers and crew were lost. She was 310' long, 40' wide, and driven by a 600 hp compound engine. At the time of her loss, she was just two years old and her captain was Robert Wooley. Today she is one of the Caribbean's most popular scuba diving sites, and a park has been created around the wreck.

Source: Wikipedia.org

West of Salt Island

R.M.S. Rhone

Good dive for younger or less experienced divers.  Vanishing rock is a coral reef that protrudes above the surface (and so "vanishes" with each wave that crosses it).  The site is very shallow, not more than 42 feet at the deepest point, so is very good for younger divers.

The marine life is average by BVI standards, and most divers skip this site in favour of more popular sites nearby, like Wreck Alley, Thumb Rock and the RMS Rhone.


By boat only.  Off the eastern tip of Salt Island, facing Cooper Island Beach Club on Cooper Island.

Approximately 22 minutes by boat from Road Town.

Mooring balls have been placed on the site by the National Parks trust.


Vanishing Rock

The Inganess Bay was a wreck deliberately sunk as a dive site, similar to the Beata, Mary L and Pat in nearby "Wreck Alley".  The Inganess Bay was sunk further out, and thus sits solely on a bed of sand with no nearby coral reef to populate the wreck.  Accordingly, it still remains largely devoid of marine life and is dived much less frequently than the other wrecks.

By boat only.  The site is 3 minutes from Cooper Island (Southern side), adjacent to "Wreck Alley" mid way between Cooper Island and Salt Island.  It is approximately 25 minutes by boat from Road Town, or about 15 minutes by boat from East End.

Mooring balls have been placed upon the Wreck by the National Park.

Inganess Bay Wreck is also known as Inganess Bay.

Inganess Bay Wreck

A very shallow dive, often used by newer divers or divers who have been away from the sport for some time.  Lots of ledges and gulleys, but not a great deal of marine life at the site.  A pleasant enough dive, but one that rarely gets done with a number of much better dives located near by.


By boat only.  On the western side of Cooper Island; on the left hand side of the bay as you look out from Cooper Island Beach Club.  About 2 minutes by boat from Cooper Island Beach Club, or about 25 minutes from Road Town, Tortola.

Mooring balls have been placed on the site by National Parks Trust.


Cistern Point

Wreck Alley consists of four wrecks which were deliberately sunk close to each other as a diving attraction. A short distance away from the Mary L and the Pat, a much larger boat, The Beatta, is located.  Just beyond the Beatta a barge called the Island Seal (which flipped upside down upon sinking) is located.

Marine life is not fantastic by BVI standards, but you get a *lot* of Southern Stingrays at this site, especially buried in the sand.  So don't be shocked if one suddenly flies up in front of you shaking the sand off!

By boat only. Located on the south-west side of Cooper Island. Approximately 3 minutes by boat from Cooper Island Beach Club, approximately 25 minutes by boat from Road Town.

Mooring balls have been placed on the site by the National Parks Trust.

Beatta Wreck (Wreck Alley) is also known as Wreck Alley.

Beatta Wreck (Wreck Alley)

Wreck Alley consists of four wrecks which were deliberately sunk close to each other as a diving attraction.  The Marie L was a drug cargo boat.  The Pat, a tug smaller than Marie L, is lying right alongside the Marie L. 

All four boats are on a sandy bottom, right alongside the reef wall.  The bottom runs about 80-90 feet, and if one tries to closely inspect each wreck it is very easy to accidentally slip into deco, so watch your gas and watch your NDLs.

Marine life is not fantastic by BVI standards, but you get a *lot* of Southern Stingrays at this site, especially buried in the sand.  So don't be shocked if one suddenly flies up in front of you shaking the sand off!


By boat only.  Located on the south-west side of Cooper Island.  Approximately 3 minutes by boat from Cooper Island Beach Club, approximately 25 minutes by boat from Road Town.

Mooring balls have been placed on the site by the National Parks Trust.

Maria L. & Pat Wrecks (Wreck Alley) is also known as Wreck Alley.

Maria L. & Pat Wrecks (Wreck Alley)

Dolphins, Hammerhead shark and lots of Rays

Boat from Tortola

Island Seal (Wreck Alley) is also known as Pacific Seal.

Island Seal (Wreck Alley)

Thumb Rock is an excellent reef dive, often overlooked in favour of nearby "Wreck Alley".  A large thumb shaped rock above the water is mirrored by a large thumbed shaped pinnacle below the water.  The site is on the tip of Cooper Island; although it is sheltered from the waves and the currents, it is still somtimes possible to see large pelagic ocean going fish swimming by.

By boat only.  Dive site is approximately 4 minutes from Coooper Island beach, or about 25 minutes from Road Town, Tortola.

Mooring balls have been affixed to the site by the National Parks trust.

Thumb Rock is also known as Markoe Point.

Thumb Rock

Named after the blue chromis fish, the sand bottom Blue Chromis Reef features numerous corals with sea fans, gorgonians, quillfin blennias and others. In occasion, there might be swells, although the dive spot is mostly calm. It is a deep dive spot, but ideal for training, since it is difficult to get lost and the visibility is good. The depth ranges from 30ft to 90ft. Look inside the cracks to find anemones and shrimp.

Blue Chromis Reef

Sail Caribbean Divers

We Be Divin

Blue Water Divers

Trimarine Boat Company

Busy Bee Charters

Crabby's Water Sports

Sunchaser Scuba

Jost Van Dyke Scuba

Cruz Bay Watersports Co.

Low Key Watersports, Inc.

This was an amazing dive. Definitely the one to do if you can only pick one in the BVIs. The wreck is incredible to look at, and there is a ton of interesting sea life in the area. We saw multiple sharks and a turtle. It was also a pretty easy dive, and a bunch of my family went along with us and did it as a discover dive. We went with Sunchaser Scuba who did an amazing job and made everyone feel comfortable even though it was their first time and there were sharks around.

Wreck of the RMS Rhone

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Wreck of the RMS Rhone