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Ron’s Rocks

So here we are with all this high tech equipment and local diver Ron Howes finds an eighteenth century wreck in Weymouth bay … fantastic! 

 

Ron has had a keen interest in wreck detection for many years, how many I am not sure. 

The problem is he can’t remember how old he is and even if he could he wouldn’t tell me!  All joking aside his dogged determination, love of gadget making and drift diving has ensured his success at finding very old wreck sites. 

 

The latest find is a real gem and the detective work has only just started. 

To the untrained eye you would be forgiven for thinking that you were diving a pile of Portland stone blocks that someone had dumped but in fact these stones are the cargo onboard what remains of a Portland stone ship dating from the seventeen hundreds.

 

One of 'Ron's Rocks' being hoisted aboard

What were the stones for?

Where were they going?

What was the fate of the ship and her crew?

 Ron overseeing the careful unloading of a 300 year old Portland Stone

 

These are just some of the many questions that only detailed diving and tireless research will answer. 

In an effort to try and identify the stones from any quarrying or tooling marks that may be on them it was decided to lift what looked like two parts of an arch from the seabed 25 metres below. 

Ron very kindly allowed me to accompany his loyal band whilst lifting the second stone,  I only managed a cursory look at the site, not wanting to travel too far in case I was needed and as the vis deteriorated to nothing the stone was persuaded from it’s resting place of three hundred years. 

 

I look on all these old sites as time capsules waiting to tell their stories and even from the small amount I saw it’s apparent that this wreck is of considerable importance.  Little is known of the Portland stone vessels although before the age of the railway they must have been commonplace. 

 

The county archaeologist Gordon Lepard has a keen interest in this site and knows of only one other stone wreck, which is in the Poole area.  I am aware of one in very deep water although it had just as well be on the Moon as far as any serious Archaeological investigation is concerned.  I know that Ron’s persistence will succeed in unlocking the secrets of this site and this is another great example of an amateur diver bringing to life our maritime past. 

 

Power to your elbow Ron.

 

 

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