An improved marine emergency rope ladder apparatus includes: (a) a continuous piece of rope knotted so as to form a safety ladder having a top and a bottom-free end, two side pieces that form a loop at the top of the ladder which is used to attach the top of the ladder to the surface to which it is to be affixed, and a plurality of rungs extending between these side pieces, (b) a pull rope whose top end is attached proximate the free end of the ladder and whose length is such that its bottom end is place proximate a water surface to which the ladder is to be extended, (c) a covering for the ladder in the form of a sleeve with a top flap and a means for releasably connecting the covering's bottom portion so that it can support the weight of the ladder fitted within the covering, and wherein this releasable means is configured so that a pull on the pull rope causes the releasable means to open the covering's bottom so as to allow the free end of the ladder to fall to the water below.