BVI - the Rhone - 2 tank a.m. dive, or 1 tank p.m. dive?

[TSandM]

I think the Rhone is well worth two dives. The stern section has the swim-through, which is easy (you can see the other end before you even enter, and there's LOTS of light . . . and BIG lobsters in there!). When we did the stern, the current was quite brisk, and you had to stay on the lee side of the wreckage pretty much. Ascending was hand over hand on the buoy line, so I took a glove with me to use on ascent.

The mid and bow sections are prettier, with more colorful life, but not as intact. There are still some recognizable sections, like the screws, and overall, it's a very interesting and fun dive.

We had divers in our group ranging from a couple who did their OW dives the day before our trip started (on the RHONE, in fact!) to my husband and me, who had about a hundred fifty dives. It was fun and within the reach of everybody.

 

[alashas]

By the way, Jim Scheiner has taken a really neat panorama photo of the entire bow section of the Rhone here:
http://www.rainbowvisionsbvi.com/Images/PGallery/Gallery01/Rhone_Bow.htm

I purchased it as a poster while we were in the BVI in Oct.

Cheers, alashas
http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/

 

[cawhite]

Hi Larry - Nice "bumping into you" again!!

Thanks TSand M - appreciate the information. I thought that the bow had the swim through, and the mid and stern sections usually make up the 2nd dive, however???? The lobsters sound VERY cool. I'll tell my daughter about the glove... although she and my husband did a buoy line on the ascent in Grand Cayman (as I recall) without a glove.

Carole

 

[The Chad]

Don't know who your diving with for theRhone...probally b/c I' m too lazy to read through the entire thread.

We just dove the Rhone in Dec and used Dive Tortola, great outfit, super friendly and our Dm dove that wreck over 500 times so she knew alot. Give em a try if you want or at least it's another option for you. Island ph 284-494-9200

 

[TSandM]

Oh, senior moment indeed . . . Obviously, the part with the screws is the stern, right?

 

[Tom The Sailor]

Definitely have them do the 2 tank dive. I love the swim through of the deeper section (the bow) but the shallower end (the stern) is good as well (with a much shorter but easier swim through). Portions of the stern can be snorkeled if visibility is good, but there is SO much other good snorkeling in the area that the young one won't be missing out on too much. See if you can get over to the Indians or the Caves on Norman Island.


Any more questions about the Virgins Islands, just ask. I'm living in the USVI currently and work on a charter boat that goes to the BVIs for a week at a time.

~Tom~

 

[cawhite]

Thanks Tom - I ended up booking the 2 tank dive. My son and I will rent a dinghy at Leverick Bay on Virgin Gorda while they are diving.

We are going with the same dive operator the following day, and my son and I will go on that trip. We hope to go to either the Dogs, the Indians, or the Caves that day.... but I know they go to wherever the conditions are best for that particular day.

Thanks for offering to answer questions. For the BVI portion of the vacation, everything is fairly well planned out (diving, visiting the Baths, day trip to Anegada). We'll also be staying on St. Thomas before heading over to Virgin Gorda, staying at the Marriott. If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them. Of the 8 days on St. Thomas, we'll probably spend 3-4 days on St. John (day trips taking our rental car from St. Thomas on the car barge/ferry). I'm looking for fun things to do with the kids, as well as good, reasonably priced, restaurants.

Thanks for your help.

Carole

 

[Tom The Sailor]

Spending lots of time on St. John is a good plan. The island is beautiful and since y'all seem like water people, you're going to the right spot. Check out Waterlemon Cay while you're there, its probably my favorite snorkeling spot on St. John. Park by the Annaberg ruins and walk about half a mile down a nice hike around a bay. Drop your gear off at the end of the hike and swim out to the small island just off the end of the bay. I end up taking all my friends there when they come to visit.

St. Thomas is a little trickier. I used to work on Doubloon and Dancing Dolphin, day sail boats that go out to Buck Island, just south of St. Thomas. Awesome awesome time snorkeling with sea turtles (and then plenty o' rum punch for the adults on the way back!). Restaurants are a little trickier. There are plenty of great ones here on St. Thomas, but don't expect state-side prices. When you take in inevitable trip downtown, stop in at Cuzzins. Has a little bit more of a local flavor on the menu without being too pricey. Shipwreck Tavern has great burgers, but can get a little rowdy at night. Since you have a rental car (great choice, btw, cabs here are brutal!), talk to the staff at the Marriott - they will be more than accommodating.

Hope that helps! Any more questions, feel free to PM me.

~Tom~

 

[altaskier]

Echo the above. The Rhone is well worth two dives. There's lots of good snorkeling on VG; we're going back to Guavaberry Spring Bay for our third year in a row.

 

[cawhite]

Thanks altaskier - have you ever stayed at Guavaberry Spring Bay in the summer? We thought about staying there, but they only have ceiling fans... no A/C (not counting the couple of villas they also rent).