The Ultimate BVI Wreck Diving Guide: Rhone, Wreck Alley, and Willy T
For travelers who love flirting with the paranormal, and the thrill of literally diving into history as you explore shipwrecks, the British Virgin Islands are one of the best places to go. In this article, we’ll look into the three shipwreck areas that can be explored by divers and snorkelers alike: the RMS Rhone, Wreck Alley, and the Willy T wreck.
1) RMS Rhone: the BVI’s legendary ghost ship
The RMS Rhone went down right off of Salt Island, and is thought to haunt the nearby waters where divers explore, as well as the island itself (where the recovered bodies of those who perished were buried). This is a must-see classic shipwreck that checks all the boxes: ghost sightings, a deep history, and recognizable wreck sections which when seen underwater presents as one of those big shipwrecks depicted in popular films, like Pirates of The Caribbean.
As a diver, based on the above video, you can expect to roll off the boat into the warm Caribbean sea off Salt Island, as the world hushes to only the sound of your breathing. You can see the shadow of the RMS Rhone slowly rising from the seafloor. She’s enormous. Over 300 feet of iron and history, which was split in two by the hurricane of 1867.
You descend first toward the bow, which rests at around 80 ft depth, where the light grows dimmer and the water gets cooler. The outline of the RMS wreck sharpens into masts which are now draped in purple gorgonian coral. Its pillars are encrusted in sponge. Tropical fish are all around, flashing electric blues and highlighter yellows. Nearby, you might see a Caribbean lobster retreat into a rusted pocket of steel. Schools of sergeant majors are known to flicker around the wreck like random bursts of underwater confetti.
As you drift along the full length of the ship and past rubble fields where perhaps you’ll see a orange-spotted filefish dart by your mask. A translucent sea nettle pulses by, a type of jellyfish your dive master instructed the group to avoid, as you instinctively pull your fins in to let it pass freely.
Then you see the stern, resting at a depth of just 35 feet. The sunlight is brighter here, making it easier to see. A French angelfish glides between the crumbling pillars, and a juvenile trumpetfish sways with the current. Around this point, divers like to pause at a famous porthole that’s said to bring luck if you rub it. Beneath the massive propeller is where divers will feel tiny against the scale of the wreck.
Ascending, you’ll see a garden of fire coral (that you don’t want to touch) and see thousands of tiny fish shimmer over the ruins.
From St. John USVI, the RMS Rhone Is:
About 15.5 nautical miles from Cruz Bay to Salt Island (straight-line distance)
By charter boat it takes around 45 to 75 minutes, depending on sea state (not clearing customs)
How to get there:
A dive charter will typically:
Depart St. John
Clear into the BVI at an official port of entry
Continue to Salt Island for the Rhone moorings
2) Wreck Alley: multiple wrecks in one dive zone
Wreck Alley is where travelers to the Virgin Islands can see the most wrecks at once. Instead of committing an entire dive to a single shipwreck, Wreck Alley in the BVI is the perfect place for divers to swim around from wreck to wreck. There are four wreck sites here (the original one wreck grew into four intentionally scuttled vessels resting along the reef line), which is a test of a diver’s marine navigation skills.
Wreck Alley sits offshore from Red Bluff on Cooper Island in the British Virgin Islands. It is a wreck site that has grown over time into one of the territory’s most concentrated artificial reef systems. As noted in the dive video (embedded above), it reaches a maximum depth of about 85 feet and is generally recommended for Advanced Open Water divers. There is also a chance that there is sea surface chop, which new divers may struggle with.
The first two wrecks encountered are the Marie L (a 90-foot cargo vessel sunk in 1991) and the Pat Rex (a similarly sized inter-island trader sunk four years later in 1995). The Pat Rex actually struck the Marie L as it descended and now lies port-to-port, which creates a dramatic double-wreck profile.
Next is the tugboat Beata, which was scuttled in 2000. Then, farther along the reef rests the larger Island Seal (also known as Joey D), which was sunk in 2009. It lies upside down.
The reef wall that runs alongside the wrecks, fuses coral growth, sponge life, and schooling fish to the industrial looking wreck structures. As the video highlights, divers often encounter stingrays, sea turtles, and various tropical reef fish. Visibility can vary with the weather.
Wreck Alley feels very different versus wrecks like the above discussed RMS Rhone. By contrast, Wreck Alley was created with modern vessels that were intentionally sunk to form this corridor built for tourists. It’s less about a real historic story frozen in time and more about experiencing how wrecks can meld and evolve into an underwater habitat.
How far from St. John USVI?
About 16.4 nautical miles from Cruz Bay to Cooper Island (straight-line distance)
By charter, the overall cruise time is similar to getting to the Rhone.
How to get there
Most divers access Wreck Alley from the BVI side, with Cooper Island as the nearby landmark.
A charter from St. John makes it simple because it can sequence the day efficiently, for example Wreck Alley plus an additional reef or second wreck.
3) The Willy T wreck: a modern icon turned reef
The Willy T (not the new one) is a much smaller, shallow, recently sunk former floating bar turned dive attraction, Where Wreck Alley offers scale, depth, and an advanced navigation expedition challenge, the Willy T is more playful and accessible.
The old Willy T was a famous local floating hangout that was sunk and transformed into a reef and dive site. Now resting upright in around 70 feet of water, with its crow’s nest rising to about 35 feet, a nearby reef runs along the port side, which attracts lively marine life to compliment this wreck’s playful vibe.
There are cannons, skeleton figures, and even a “walk the plank” feature that divers can pose on for photos. Reef fish weave through railings and lizardfish lounge on deck. The visibility isn’t always clear, but the warm Caribbean water and protected conditions always make it enjoyable and relaxed.
How far from St. John USVI?
About 12.8 nautical miles from Cruz Bay to Peter Island (straight-line distance)
This is the closest BVI wreck from St. John.
How to get there
The Willy T wreck sits in Key Bay, just off Peter Island.
It’s a great option for:
A first wreck dive day
Mixed groups where not everyone wants deeper wreck time
Why it’s best to take a charter from St. John
If your goal is to dive these wrecks, a charter is usually the best move for three big reasons.
1) Border logistics get handled
Crossing from USVI to BVI means customs and immigration. A charter captain who does this routinely makes that all smoother to keep your trip on track.
2) Save your best hours for diving
Ferries can be great for getting between islands, but they lock you into fixed times, whereas charters reduce wait time and thus maximize time on site.
3) Stack sites in the order you want
A good charter can plan the day around:
seas and wind direction
current and visibility
diver experience and gas consumption
and ultimately whether you want the “main event” first or last
For those looking to book a dedicated dive charter to any of these sites, we highly recommend Low Key Watersports and Scuba Diving, St. John's only PADI five-star IDC facility with deep roots in the local dive community. Fun fact:Captain Jason Siska was a dive instructor at Low Key prior to heading Island Roots Charters.