This was a ship belonging to Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, used to transport mail and passengers from and to the Caribbean. What made it stand out among other ships was its features, it had both sail and steam power.

Robert F. Wooley, the captain of the RMS Rhone, was forced to avoid St. Thomas – the designated coaling station – as this area was affected by a yellow fever epidemic . He anchored near Peter Island, in Great Harbor, but on 29th October 1867 things will take a turn for the worst. Bad weather was ahead so the captain decided to up the anchor and sail between Salt and Peter Island to avoid hitting the rocks. A hurricane hit the ship once and Wooley went outside to inspect the weather and was washed overboard. Rhone started to head for the rocks and soon met its end near Black Rock Point, along with its 123 passengers.

This diving site was also featured in the 1977 movie The Deep, featuring Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bisset, a movie portraying the consequences this couple has to face after discovering a deadly wreck.

A 310 ft long and 40 ft wide wreck, split in two, covered in orange cup corals and sponges will greet you when you dive these picturesque and adventurous waters. The deck, the propeller and the steam engine are all almost intact so you won’t see just a rotting structure.

A barracuda funnily nicknamed Fang, turtles, stingrays, angelfish, yellowtail snappers, sennets, jacks, grunts, all sorts of colorful fish will accompany you in your swim and hide in even the smallest crevices available.

In order to explore the whole scenery the RMS Rhone has to offer you will need at least two decent dives so don’t leave this site for the last couple of hours of your trip, you will regret not exploring more of its beauties.

Photo credit for the 3 images on this page: Mickael Taillier (Sail Caribbean Divers)

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You will see some occasional exotic fish swimming around the wreck but they are rare, Marie L is a diving spot known mostly for its wreck, garden eels and the stingrays that lurk in the sandy bottom.

Because of the depth, the diving is done in shallower waters near the boat mooring area but you will soon be mesmerized by the incredible view ahead of you so make sure you don’t run out of gas. This is the place where underwater photography portrays some amazing sceneries and the shipwreck will look incredible, covered in corals and eroded by time.

Photos by Armando Jenik

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The main attraction of this diving site is a cave; narrow at the top where it’s open and the light penetrates the water, this cave has a very magical view. The base of the cave is wider and allows for better movement.

Colorful corals and sponges cover the walls of the cave and the rocky formations lying on the sandy bottom. Giant groupers, lobsters and eagle rays are some of the few species you will encounter here; while you approach the end of the cave you will be surrounded by a swarm of glassy sweepers.

Joe’s Cave is the go to site for divers who want to explore captivating topography in less crowded spots. When the sun’s rays penetrate these blue waters, the coral and sponges look like they’re brought to life.

Photography by Armando Jenik

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Huge granite boulders –some of them having more than 40 feet in diameter – are sprinkled on the beach and make for a very unusual landscape. Devil’s Bay Beach and Spring Bay are two of the most popular beaches.

The sandy bottom, the cup corals and vibrant sponges are home to interesting marine species – glassy sweepers and jellyfish, to name just a few – that will swim along in the dreamy blue waters. Bring along your camera, underwater photography is very popular here and you can also snap the inside of the caves, they look truly spectacular.

Most of the time the weather is perfect and the good to excellent underwater visibility make The Baths a must destination for those who want to enjoy the sand and sun after a captivating snorkeling session.

More amazing split photos by Armando Jenik

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This site is widely popular for its underwater sceneries and architectural layouts. You will see ridges, archways, canyons and various rocky formations; explore them and use your flashlight to check available crevices for smaller fish and invertebrates that are hiding here.

The rocks are covered with soft and pillar coral formations, orange cup coral, hydroids, red and lavender sponges that create a wonderful, psychedelic spectacle.

Bronco Billy has a flourishing marine life, with snappers, grunts, corvals, spotted drums, sea breams, lobsters and eels accompanying your swim. The visibility isn’t that good so most divers use their flashlight to light up the show.

Accessible by boat, at only a 12 minutes boat ride from Spanish Town, Bronco Billy will amaze you with its captivating topography and exotic species.

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Corals, tube sponges, sea fans and underwater plants cover most of the rocks and the sandy bottom creating a very colorful scenery worth to be captured on camera.

Explore these waters and try to identify as many species as possible; Flintstones is the gathering spot for snappers, gold-spotted eels, cobias, lobsters, eagle rays and nurse sharks, among many others.

Multicolored fish, a rainbow of corals and sponges, huge boulders laying underwater, all these are reasons enough to put Flintstones on your list of diving sites to discover in the near future.

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A huge pinnacle stands guard on these waters and it’s mostly embroidered with corals, sea fans, hydroids and flowing underwater plants. Caves, canyons, ledges, huge boulders and various smaller rocky formations coat the sandy bottom and are home to many exotic fish and underwater species.

You will spot glassy sweepers, tomtates, blue striped grunts, snappers, angel fish, high hats, breams, corvalls, horse-eye jacks, African pompano, tarpons, permits, barracuda, spadefish, turtles, eagle rays, reef and the occasional nurse shark.

The clear blue waters with close to perfect visibility, the vibrant corals and fans that cover almost any rock they find along with a flourishing palette of exotic fish will delight any divers. The Visibles is perfect for underwater photography, it’s impossible to swim and not be surrounded by incredible underwater wildlife.

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Here you get the chance to explore captivating underwater structures; on the eastern part of Dolphin Rocks you will see mostly canyons while the western area is known for its ledges, smaller rocky formations and crevices that hide marine creatures and smaller invertebrates.

Being situated in open waters, Dolphin Rocks is a weather dependant diving site, preferred by divers in the warmer and calmer summer days.

Smaller pelagic fish are attracted here; along with them these blue waters will be populated with barracuda, bonitos, mackerels and tarpons.

Give Dolphin Rocks a try and it will surprise you with interesting, colorful fish, beautiful underwater topography and perfect blue waters that wait to be immortalized on camera.\

 
Photos by Armando Jenik

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Explore the small caves, try to identify as many fish species as possible as this site is full of colorful fish. Bluestriped grunts and yellowtail snappers, yellow jacks, cuttlefish and friendly turtles will surround you in these blue waters; some of the fish are so used to visitors that they will let you touch them.

Monkey Point is a very photogenic site, from its colorful coral to the energetic exotic fish. Follow a turtle and record her swimming or immortalize the huge schools of yellow jacks.

Go for a dive and then relax in the sun and sand before leaving Guana Island and embarking in another British Virgin Island adventure.

Photos by Armando Jenik

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Canyons, ledges, walls and overhangs make the dive much more exciting. If you bring a dive light you will see the incredible boom of cup corals and brightly hued sponges that weave a colorful underwater tapestry.

The Chimney is a very frequented site; during your dive you will be surrounded by colorful and captivating exotics species. Shrimps, damselfish, parrotfish, California scorpionfish, yellowtails, sergeant majors, stars, spotted rock lobster, anemones and baby flame scallops are just a few of the many marine species you will meet in these waters.

Bring along your camera to immortalize the magical colors and incredible wildlife that call The Chimney their home.

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