The RMS Rhone stretches nearly 300 feet on the seafloor off Salt Island, its iron hull encrusted with orange cup corals and patrolled by a resident great barracuda locals call Fang. Of the 145 people aboard when the Royal Mail Ship sank during the San Narciso Hurricane of 1867, only 25 survived — many of the lost were passengers tied to their beds, a standard safety practice that became a death sentence when the ship broke apart. Today, the Rhone is the centerpiece of an underwater world in the British Virgin Islands that pairs century-old wrecks with shallow seagrass beds where green turtles graze within arm’s length of snorkelers.
BVI wrecks range from snorkel-accessible artificial reefs at 20 feet to advanced deep wrecks at 85 feet — and the same waters host some of the Caribbean’s best sea turtle sightings during the April-to-November closed season.
You can swim with sea turtles year-round in the BVI, but the April–November closed season — when harvesting is illegal — is actually the best window to spot them grazing in shallow seagrass beds. For wrecks, the RMS Rhone and Kodiak Queen are the most accessible for intermediate divers and even snorkelers at the Kraken site, while the Chikuzen and Sharkplaneo require advanced certification and calm conditions.
History buffs
Snorkelers
Intermediate divers
| Site | Depth | Level | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| RMS Rhone | 15–85 ft | Advanced | 310-ft iron-hulled steamer, split in two, resident barracuda |
| Kodiak Queen | 20–65 ft | Intermediate / Snorkel | WWII fuel barge with Kraken sculpture |
| Chikuzen | 40–75 ft | Intermediate / Advanced | 246-ft Korean trawler, open cargo holds |
| Sharkplaneo | 40–75 ft | Intermediate / Advanced | Derelict planes turned into shark sculptures |
| Turtle sites | Waist–chest deep | Snorkel / Beginner | Seagrass beds at Savannah Bay, Anegada, Cane Garden Bay |
| Coral Gardens | 20–50 ft | Beginner | Largest coral formations in BVI, plane wreck |
RMS Rhone: The 310-Foot Iron Steamer That Became a Reef
The Rhone was commissioned in 1865 by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company to carry mail, passengers, horses, and cargo between England and the Caribbean. By October 1867, it was moored at Great Harbour on Peter Island alongside the RMS Conway when the San Narciso Hurricane struck. Passengers were transferred to the Rhone, and Captain Woolley ordered the ship to sea — a standard maneuver to ride out the storm. The hurricane changed direction. The Rhone smashed into rocks at Black Rock Point. Cold seawater hitting the hot boilers caused an explosion that split the ship in two.
Today, the wreck rests in two sections about 100 feet apart off the coast of Salt Island. The deeper bow section is mostly intact, its steel hull open to explore, coated in orange cup corals and populated by grunts, jacks, and the resident great barracuda Fang. The shallower stern section is more broken up but still displays the drive train, boilers, and bronze propeller. Among the debris lies a silver teaspoon legend says belonged to Captain Woolley, thrown overboard and never seen again. Scenes from the 1977 film The Deep were filmed here.
RMS Rhone — look for the “dance floor,” a section of black-and-white tiles lying flat on the seafloor near the stern, one of the most photographed features of the wreck. Anchoring is prohibited at the site since it’s a designated Marine National Park; boats must anchor at Peter Island or the Salt Island Settlement.
Max depth is 85 feet (26 meters), putting it in the advanced range. Most dive operators require at least PADI Advanced Open Water certification to visit. Sail Caribbean Divers, a PADI 5-Star Dive Resort, leads trips here and at other wreck sites across the territory. The site is protected by the British Virgin Islands National Parks Trust.
Kodiak Queen: A Pearl Harbor Survivor With a Kraken Wrapped Around It
The Kodiak Queen started life in September 1940 as USS YO-44, a US Navy fuel barge. It is one of only five vessels believed to have survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After decades of service, it was abandoned and ended up in a scrapyard in Road Town, Tortola, where historian Mike Cochran discovered it in 2012. Photographer Owen Buggy brought the find to Sir Richard Branson, and the idea of sinking it as an artificial reef — wrapped in a giant Kraken sculpture — took shape.
The ship was sunk in April 2017 at a max depth of 65 feet (20 meters), with the superstructure rising to just 10 feet below the surface — shallow enough for snorkelers to see. The Kraken sculpture, an 80-foot-long mesh octopus, was damaged by Hurricane Irma a few months later, but the tentacles remain largely intact, now encrusted with coral and swarming with marine life. The sandy bottom around the wreck is dotted with gulleys and bubble caves, and peacock flounder can be spotted camouflaged on the seafloor.
Mike Cochran maintains a detailed history of the vessel on his YO-44 web page. The site is included in BVI Wreck Week tours and is a regular stop for dive operators working out of Virgin Gorda.
Chikuzen: The Burning Trawler That Got Away
In 1981, a 246-foot refrigerated trawler built in Japan in 1960 was moored unused and decaying in St Maarten harbour. Governors ordered it moved to reduce hurricane risk. The owners set it on fire and set it adrift, hoping it would sink. It drifted toward Tortola’s Marina Cay. Local boats tried and failed to stop it. Tugboats from St Croix and Antigua towed it back out to sea — until the tow line snapped, injuring a crew member who was airlifted to hospital. The smouldering wreckage sank 12 kilometres northwest of Tortola.
The Chikuzen now rests on its port side at a max depth of 75 feet (23 meters), with the starboard side just 15 feet below the surface. It’s an exposed location, so conditions need to be calm — 3-to-5-foot swells are common, and many dive operators skip it when the wind is up. When it’s diveable, the wreck attracts pelagic and reef fish like an oasis: Atlantic spadefish, horse-eye jacks, barracudas, goliath groupers, and eels. The hull is encrusted with coral and sponges, and three large cargo holds are enterable through open hatches.
Chikuzen — this wreck is 9 miles northwest of Virgin Gorda in open water. Regular 3-to-5-foot swells make it unsuitable for beginners, and some dive operators only offer it during BVI Wreck Week in June when conditions are more reliably calm. Check with your operator about recent conditions before booking.
The Chikuzen tour page on BVI Wreck Week provides operator contacts and conditions updates.
Sharkplaneo: When Derelict Planes Become Sharks
After Hurricanes Irma and Maria swept through the BVI in 2017, three derelict aeroplanes sat abandoned at Terrance B. Lettsome Airport on Beef Island. The not-for-profit Beyond the Reef pulled them out, turned them into sculptures of a bull shark, a blacktip reef shark, and a hammerhead, and sank them as a scuba diving attraction at depths of 40 to 75 feet (12 to 23 meters). The result is part art installation, part artificial reef, and one of the most unusual wreck dives in the Caribbean.
The site is suited to intermediate and advanced divers due to the depth range. The sculptures are positioned to attract schools of tropical fish, and the surrounding reef is populated by snapper, grunt, and occasional eagle rays. Beyond the Reef’s website documents the project and its conservation mission. The site is a featured stop during BVI Wreck Week, which runs June 15–21 each year.
Where to Swim With Turtles: Savannah Bay, Cane Garden Bay, and Anegada’s Flats
The BVI’s closed season for sea turtles runs April 1–2 and April 7 through November 30, 2026, per the Government of the Virgin Islands. During this window, it is illegal to catch, remove, possess, sell, or purchase any turtle or turtle products. Green and hawksbill turtles are protected seasonally; leatherback and loggerhead turtles are under a full year-round moratorium and are never legally harvested. But here’s the key: the closed season is also when turtles are most active and visible in shallow water — green turtles grazing on seagrass, hawksbills picking sponges off reef edges.
Four spots consistently deliver sightings:
Savannah Bay, Virgin Gorda — a shallow sandy bay with seagrass beds that green turtles favour for grazing. The water is often waist-to-chest deep close to shore, so strong swimming skills aren’t required.
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola — a calm protected anchorage where turtles feed close to shore. It’s a popular mooring spot, so boat traffic can be heavy midday; early morning stops are quieter.
Anegada’s flats — the most turtle-rich habitat in the territory, with extensive shallow reef and grass systems. Anegada is less visited than the main islands, meaning fewer boats and more skittish turtles.
Norman Island’s coves — turtles are common around reef edges near the island’s famous caves. Early afternoon light is best for visibility.
Best time of day for turtle sightings is mid-morning to early afternoon, when turtles are actively grazing and the light is good for visibility. Early morning and late afternoon stops have less boat traffic and fewer snorkelers, which means calmer, less skittish turtles. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the combination of closed-season protection and healthy seagrass beds makes the BVI one of the more reliable spots in the Caribbean.
Report any turtle harassment to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force at 800-8477 or 368-9339. The Government of the Virgin Islands closed season notice has the full regulatory details.
Coral Gardens: The Beginner-Friendly Reef East of Great Dog
East of Great Dog lies the largest coral formation in the BVI. Coral Gardens spans depths of 20 to 50 feet and features boulder star coral, tube sponges, brain coral, and gorgonians in shades of red, purple, and turquoise. In 1993, an artificial reef restoration placed the remains of an Atlantic Air 360 aeroplane on the site — the tail and wings are gone, but the fuselage provides structure for marine life. Sand stingrays, goatfish, lobsters, lizardfish, and the occasional blacktip shark patrol the area.
The site is suitable for beginners and is a common training ground for divers working toward their PADI Open Water certification. It’s also a snorkeling destination for those who want to see the coral formations without going deep. The Sail Caribbean Divers operation includes Coral Gardens on its daily rotation, with sessions running 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and evening dives available after sunset.
Planning Your BVI Underwater Adventure: Turtle Rules, Certification, and Timing
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Three things trip up most visitors: understanding the turtle closed season, matching wreck difficulty to your certification, and picking the right time of year for visibility.
Turtle Season: What You Can and Can’t Do
The closed season (April 1–2 and April 7–November 30, 2026) makes it illegal to catch, remove, possess, sell, or purchase any green or hawksbill turtle. Leatherback and loggerhead turtles are protected year-round. Observing turtles while snorkeling is perfectly legal — just don’t touch, chase, or crowd them. The closed season aligns with peak turtle activity in shallow water, so it’s actually the best time to go.
Certification Levels for Wreck Diving
The RMS Rhone (85 ft max) and Chikuzen (75 ft) typically require PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent. The Kodiak Queen (65 ft) is accessible to intermediate divers and snorkelers. Coral Gardens (50 ft) is fine for beginners and open-water students. Sharkplaneo (40–75 ft) suits intermediate and advanced divers. Most operators will check your certification before booking a wreck dive. Sail Caribbean Divers offers PADI Open Water and Advanced courses that include wreck dives as part of the curriculum. For divers looking to log their dives and track depth profiles, the Garmin Descent Mk3i is a dedicated dive computer that pairs with your existing Garmin ecosystem. You can also pick up a DJI Osmo Action 6 Bundle for capturing underwater footage at the wrecks — the stabilization is helpful in current.
Best Time to Dive
Year-round diving is possible with water temperatures 78–83°F (25–28°C) and visibility 60–100 feet (18–30 meters). The driest months are February and March. Hurricane season runs June through November, and spring and summer tend to have the worst visibility due to high winds. September through November is the wettest period but also coincides with peak turtle activity in shallow water — trade-offs worth weighing.
For a full breakdown of how to structure a multi-day trip around these sites, see our BVI itinerary guide.
Before You Go: BVI Turtle and Wreck Diving FAQs
Is it legal to swim near sea turtles during the closed season?
Yes. The closed season restricts catching, removing, possessing, or selling turtles — not observing them while snorkeling. The rules apply to green and hawksbill turtles seasonally; leatherback and loggerhead turtles are protected year-round and may never be harvested.
What certification do I need for the RMS Rhone?
Most operators require at least PADI Advanced Open Water due to the 85-foot max depth. The deeper bow section is the main draw, and the site is classified as advanced. Sail Caribbean Divers and other PADI 5-Star operators offer wreck-specific training if you want to build up to it.
What’s the best time of year for both turtles and wrecks?
February and March offer the driest weather and best visibility (60–100 ft). September through November is wetter but coincides with peak turtle activity in shallow seagrass beds. Hurricane season runs June–November, so travel insurance is recommended if you visit during that window.
Can snorkelers see any of the wrecks?
Yes. The Kodiak Queen’s superstructure rises to about 10 feet below the surface, so snorkelers can hover over the deck and see the Kraken tentacles. Some shallower sections of the RMS Rhone stern are also visible from the surface in calm conditions.
From a 19th-Century Steamer to a Kraken Sculpture
The BVI’s underwater world spans more than a century of maritime history — from a Royal Mail Ship that went down with 120 souls in 1867 to a Pearl Harbor fuel barge reimagined as an octopus-covered artificial reef in 2017. What ties it all together is the same clear, warm water that lets green turtles graze in waist-deep seagrass beds a few miles away. For a deeper look at the stories behind these wrecks, explore our guide to the history beneath the waves.
References
British Virgin Islands National Parks Trust. “Home.” ↗
Government of the Virgin Islands. “Closed Season for Turtles.” ↗
BVI Wreck Week. “Chikuzen.” ↗
Beyond the Reef. “Sharkplaneo.” ↗
Planning a full BVI trip? Our BVI itinerary guide helps you balance dive days with beach time, and our wildlife guide covers the land-based creatures you’ll spot between dives.
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