RMS Rhone was a transatlantic British cargo and mail ship that sank off the coat of Salt Island in the British Virgin Islands in October 1867 during a hurricane. This spectacular ship is now one of the leading Caribbean wreck dives.
She was one of the first iron hulled ships powered by both sail and steam. Built in 1865 she measured 310 feet long and had two masts.
Thrown onto rocks during a violent storm the cold water rushing into the hull hit the boilers and exploded, swiftly sinking her. The bow section, sitting in about 85 feet of water, is relatively intact with an excellent swim-through for divers. A wide verity of marine life can be found here too making this a truly awesome dive site.
There are a number of companies operating the Rhone, one of the better ones is Dive BVI http://www.divebvi.com/ who operate out of Spanish town and Leverick Bay.
Review added 07 June 2009