Monthly Archives: October 2009

Virgin Gorda – The Baths

The Baths are the most popular spot on the island, and – perhaps because we visited in October – there was virtually no one there. We had virtually the entire place to ourselves for a few hours.

Categories: British Virgin Islands | Leave a comment

Virgin Gorda – Diving the Wreck of the RMS Rhone

RMS Rhone was a UK Royal Mail Ship owned by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (RMSP). She was wrecked off the coast of Salt Island in the British Virgin Islands on 29 October 1867 in a hurricane, killing 123 people. Her bow section is still relatively intact, and although the wooden decks have rotted away, she still provides an excellent swim-through for divers. Her entire iron hull is encrusted with coral and overrun by fishes (and the local barracuda named Fang), and the cracks and crevices of her wreckage provide excellent habitats for lobsters, eels, and octopi. Her wreckage was also featured in the 1977 filming of The Deep, including a scene of Jacqueline Bisset diving in a T-shirt.*

IMG_1262

IMG_1250

Hatch featured in “The Deep” – we entered the ship through here, identical to the movie scene . . .

IMG_1232

and exited here, where the hull was breached.

Local residents of Salt Island found 8 bodies on shore after the wreck and created a small graveyard there:

IMG_1318

*Courtesy Wikipedia

Categories: British Virgin Islands | Leave a comment

Virgin Gorda – Beaches and Snorkling

Savannah Bay

Mahoe Bay

Snorkeling Savannah Bay, Mahoe Bay, and Katitche Point

Categories: British Virgin Islands | Leave a comment

Virgin Gorda – Copper Mine

The mine was constructed in 1837 and its first shaft was sunk in 1838. In two separate periods over the next 24 years, 36 Cornish miners extracted copper ore from this site with the aid of some 140 British Virgin Islands workmen.

The ore was sent by road to Spanish Town (the largest settlement and harbor on Virgin Gorda) along coppermine road (originally built by the miners), and then by ship to Wales. On the return trip the ships would carry provisions, wood for construction, wages for the workers, and coal with which to power the copper mine’s steam engine.

The mine was abandoned in 1862 and was never reopened.

IMG_0954IMG_0950IMG_0949IMG_0947IMG_0945IMG_0943 IMG_0946IMG_0944 IMG_0941IMG_0934

(History courtesy Wikipedia)

Categories: British Virgin Islands | Leave a comment

Virgin Gorda – Katitche Point Great House

Villa from the water

When you walk through the door, you encounter this:

IMG_0789

IMG_1477

Categories: British Virgin Islands | Leave a comment

Virgin Gorda – Around the Island

Leverick Bay, on the north side of the island:

Hanging out on Tortolla on the way back:

IMG_1608

IMG_1607

Categories: British Virgin Islands | Leave a comment

Blog at WordPress.com.