Comments on: The Rhone: A Wreck For the Ages http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/2010/04/04/diving-the-rhone-a-wreck-for-the-ages/ Diving opinions from top diving experts in the dive industry Thu, 24 May 2012 23:49:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Bret Gilliam http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/2010/04/04/diving-the-rhone-a-wreck-for-the-ages/comment-page-1/#comment-1997 Bret Gilliam Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:32:31 +0000 http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/?p=636#comment-1997 Feel free to use any parts of the article. Just give credit to me as the author. Glad you liked it! Bret Feel free to use any parts of the article. Just give credit to me as the author. Glad you liked it!

Bret

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]]> By: Houston Power Washing http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/2010/04/04/diving-the-rhone-a-wreck-for-the-ages/comment-page-1/#comment-1996 Houston Power Washing Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:09:23 +0000 http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/?p=636#comment-1996 Do you mind if I use some parts of your blog, for my website as well? I would give credit where its due and proide a link Do you mind if I use some parts of your blog, for my website as well? I would give credit where its due and proide a link
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]]> By: Bret Gilliam http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/2010/04/04/diving-the-rhone-a-wreck-for-the-ages/comment-page-1/#comment-804 Bret Gilliam Tue, 04 May 2010 13:32:44 +0000 http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/?p=636#comment-804 George Marler and his wife Luana were close friends of mine that I also met in 1971. I don't think George's book is still in distribution but it could be. It was originally done as a very slim paper product without even a hard cardboard cover. There are other works now that chronicle the Rhone in far more detail and with more updated photography... but George was the first. As to Bert Kilbride, he was a great man and a wonderful mentor who taught me more about the wrecks of the BVI than anyone I ever met. It was his life's passion. I also knew all his sons and dove with them over the years. Bert had an astounding collection of artifacts from the Rhone including the full sets of china that you note. And yes, I have eaten cheeseburgers off the china at his spartan house perched on Saba Rock back in that era. Don't make the mistake of discounting Bert's tales about his wreck explorations. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of the wrecks and an unbridled energy to find and recover stuff from them. He lived into his 90s and was one of the greatest gifts to scuba diving that I can imagine. An evening of dinner and drink after a day of wreck exploration with Bert was the stuff of legend. George Marler and his wife Luana were close friends of mine that I also met in 1971. I don’t think George’s book is still in distribution but it could be. It was originally done as a very slim paper product without even a hard cardboard cover. There are other works now that chronicle the Rhone in far more detail and with more updated photography… but George was the first.

As to Bert Kilbride, he was a great man and a wonderful mentor who taught me more about the wrecks of the BVI than anyone I ever met. It was his life’s passion. I also knew all his sons and dove with them over the years. Bert had an astounding collection of artifacts from the Rhone including the full sets of china that you note. And yes, I have eaten cheeseburgers off the china at his spartan house perched on Saba Rock back in that era. Don’t make the mistake of discounting Bert’s tales about his wreck explorations. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of the wrecks and an unbridled energy to find and recover stuff from them. He lived into his 90s and was one of the greatest gifts to scuba diving that I can imagine. An evening of dinner and drink after a day of wreck exploration with Bert was the stuff of legend.

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]]> By: Peter Evans http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/2010/04/04/diving-the-rhone-a-wreck-for-the-ages/comment-page-1/#comment-802 Peter Evans Tue, 04 May 2010 13:12:09 +0000 http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/?p=636#comment-802 My ex and I dove the Rhone 20 or so times in 1981-2 with Bert, Jimmy, Francine (then Jimmy's wife) and Sue Thompson, a Kilbride divemaster and salmon boat captain from the west coast. The night dives were truly excellent. Even in his late 60s, Bert was a wonder in the water. He'd grab some beat-up rental gear, jump in and out breathe us all. Brett tells a great story; Bert's were somewhat more embellished. The sheer volume of artifacts that Bert, as keeper of Her Majesty's wrecks in the BVI, took off the Rhone and displayed at Saba Rock before the Kilbirdes moved and it became a bar, was truly unbelieveable. We actually had lunch on the rock with Bert, Francine and Jimmy which was served on, what else, RMS Rhone china! My ex and I dove the Rhone 20 or so times in 1981-2 with Bert, Jimmy, Francine (then Jimmy’s wife) and Sue Thompson, a Kilbride divemaster and salmon boat captain from the west coast. The night dives were truly excellent. Even in his late 60s, Bert was a wonder in the water. He’d grab some beat-up rental gear, jump in and out breathe us all.

Brett tells a great story; Bert’s were somewhat more embellished. The sheer volume of artifacts that Bert, as keeper of Her Majesty’s wrecks in the BVI, took off the Rhone and displayed at Saba Rock before the Kilbirdes moved and it became a bar, was truly unbelieveable. We actually had lunch on the rock with Bert, Francine and Jimmy which was served on, what else, RMS Rhone china!

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]]> By: David McNary http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/2010/04/04/diving-the-rhone-a-wreck-for-the-ages/comment-page-1/#comment-798 David McNary Tue, 04 May 2010 05:23:21 +0000 http://www.undercurrent.org/blog/?p=636#comment-798 My wife and I dove the Rhone in the early eighties with George Marler, Some mention should be given to his book. Several outstanding dives on the Rhone with Marler and quite a few with the Kilbrides, bert drove the boat on several dives and did some diving. Still diving after 30 years. My wife and I dove the Rhone in the early eighties with George Marler, Some mention should be given to his book. Several outstanding dives on the Rhone with Marler and quite a few with the Kilbrides, bert drove the boat on several dives and did some diving.
Still diving after 30 years.
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