CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsSnorkel· Salt Island· Virgin Islands (BVI, USVI and Spanish Virgins)
Rhone Reef & Rhone stern snorkel (Lee Bay)
18° 22.2′ N · 64° 32.1′ W · approximate
The shallow end of the Rhone Marine Park off Black Rock Point, where snorkellers can look down on the Rhone's stern and propeller in clear water and divers explore the coral-encrusted tunnels and cave of Rhone Reef.
Practical
Approximate position: just inshore of the OpenStreetMap Rhone wreck node (18.36891, -64.53456) toward Black Rock Point, where the stern lies; the National Parks Trust names Rhone Reef as a separate dive site in the park ('coral encrusted tunnels and cave') but publishes no position, so ask a dive operator. Depths: NPT gives the wreck at about 20 to 80 ft; Wikipedia puts the stern in about 30 ft and Sail Caribbean Divers about 35 ft, with the propeller the shallowest part. Yacht Warriors: primarily a dive site, but snorkellers can see parts of it when the water is clear. Rules: anchoring and fishing are strictly prohibited in the Marine Park; use NPT day moorings in Lee Bay (NPT mooring permit required; see the permit entry). Moorings are tight and the site can be rolly with surge and current: dinghy over from the mooring and fly a dive flag if diving.
Best for
Snorkellers who want a look at the BVI's famous wreck
Season
Calm, clear days; day use only
Nearby
- BVI National Parks Trust Marine Conservation Permit0.1 NM away
- RMS Rhone Marine Park Day Moorings (Lee Bay)0.1 NM away
- RMS Rhone Wreck0.1 NM away
- Salt Island Bay Beach0.2 NM away
- Salt Island Salt Ponds & Settlement0.3 NM away
- Salt Island Bay Moorings0.4 NM away
- Rhone Graves (Salt Island)0.5 NM away
- Blonde Rock1.1 NM away