The Rhone
A UK Royal Mail Ship was RMS Rhone
A sail-steamer and a two-masted brig, she shone
Rhone had an iron hull and was 310 feet long
Her compound steam engine made her fast and quite strong
An innovative ship with a bronze propeller
To save water, she had a surface condenser
The first ship so equipped to visit Brazil port
Pedro II, the king, came to see her engine fort
Left Southampton on 9th Oct., 1865
On her maiden voyage; despite troubles, she thrived
Her next five voyages were also to Brazil
Then transferred to Caribbean route, she was thrilled
Rhone proved her worth by weathering several storms
But who can escape when Mother Nature performs?
On 19th Oct.’67, Rhone and Conway
Bunkered in Great Harbour, where they stayed for few days
San Narciso Hurricane, last of the season,
Worried both captains - ferocity, the reason
Passengers from Conway were transferred to the Rhone
Conway was too soon foundered by the storm full-blown
Rhone struggled to get free, her anchor was caught fast
It was cut loose as Captain Woolley thought it best
To escape to open sea was the Captain’s plan
Sailing ‘tween two islands, avoiding Blonde Rock’s span
When Rhone was less than 250 yards from safety
The winds threw her into Black Rock Point directly
The lurching crash sent Captain Woolley overboard
The ship broke in two, causing engines to explode
The bow in 80 feet, the stern in 30 feet,
Rhone sank swiftly, the “unsinkable”, now dead meat
123 killed, were buried on Salt Island
On 29th Oct., Rhone met her sad end, unplanned
The wreck of the Rhone is now a famous dive site
Turned into a National Park , she’s a rare sight
Today, it’s visited by hundreds of tourists
And in a way, the historic Rhone still exists.
11.05.2021
12 syllables per line
For Robert James Liguori's "A Noteworthy Ship" contest
Copyright ©
Joanna Daniel
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