Page 14 - The Virgin Islands

Franko's Cargo Room J 20' (6m) Black Rock Point
Depth Salt Island,
RMS RHONE Boulders Boulders
Shipwreck Layout British Virgin Islands
& Reef Creatures 18' (6m) dia.
Identification Guide Propeller Bearings
Prop Shaft
Gear Box
500HP Engine

40' (12m) Rings
Depth

Royal Mail Steamer RHONE STERN SECTION Water
Pump
One of world's best wreck dives is now a Aft Mast
National Park. The 1865 Royal Mail Steamer Grating
Rhone was 310 ft. in length, with a 40 ft. Rings Boilers Condenser
beam and a displacement of 2738 tons. She
had a combination of sail power and propulsion Boiler
from a 500 horsepower compound steam engine,
giving her a speed of 12 knots. On Oct. 29, 65' (20m)
1867 a ferrocious hurricane sank the RMS Depth
Rhone with her 300 passengers and crew. Only
1 passenger and 22 seamen lived. Scenes from Crow's Nest Signalling
the movie "The Deep" were filmed on the wreck (Swim-through) Cannon
of The Rhone in 1978, giving her a heightened Foremast Lifeboat
interest amongst scuba divers and snorkelers. Davits
Over 100 species of Caribbean reef creatures
live here, including nesting sergeant majors and Port Holes
squirrelfish, plus encrusting corals, sponges,
lobsters, and Caribbean reef sharks. Look for a Hatch Visit Franko at
pair of big barracuda called "Fang" and "Fred"
that have resided here since the early 1990's. www.frankosmaps.com
The RMS Rhone's extensive features and swim-
throughs provide world-class diving and the Hull plates
she is big enough for multiple dives.

(Swim-through)

"Fang" & "Fred" 78' (24m) BOW SECTION
Depth Bow rests
port-side up

Bow Sprit

Hatch

Copyright 2005