Today we had an attendance of 20 with 2 apologies, we had no new members or visitors.
Tony Taft, our Reviewer/Photographer reports: Our speaker today was Ron Howell, who is a member of the “South west Maritime Archeological Group”
The title of Ron’s presentation was 3000 years of history from under the sea.
Ron started his talk on how whilst diving in the Erme estuary 1990 carrying out a pre-disturbance survey of the sea bed, they discovered a cannon, on a shipwreck of unknown origin.
The cannon was brought to the surface to be pickled in a special solution to preserve it from corrosion, Ron did say what this solution consisted of but on this occasion my memory fails me.
It was determined that the cannon dated from between 1500 to 1630, they also discovered more cannon’s along with an anchor and items of ships rigging.
The site of the wreck was put under a protection order, which meant that if anyone was found diving without permission they could be arrested, and all of their equipment confiscated.
Ron said that it was believed that the wreck could be either a Barbary pirate vessel or Dutch merchant vessel dating from the 1630s.
Ron said that during 1993, whilst extending the search area, 47 Tin ingots of either Bronze Age or Roman origin were found.
On the weekend of the 28th/ 29th April 1995 that because the sea conditions were so bad in the Erne estuary, they decided to go over to Salcombe to dive on a boring cannon site, that they literally struck gold.
Ron said over 400 gold “Dinar” coins were found, also Gold jewellery mainly of African origin some of the pieces were cut in half and the precious stones removed, all ready for melting down.
Ron and the rest of the archaeological group have won many awards for their incredible find and have appeared on television meeting a lot of celebrities in doing so, but I think their most memorable award was to get the Duke of Edinburgh Award and meeting Prince Philip to receive it.
The Duke on meeting Ron asked what are you doing now, Ron replied I’m retired and enjoying every minute of it, the Duke laughed and said “ retired I wish I could f***ing retire” Ron said what a lovely man he was to talk to.
This was a meeting I shall remember for some time and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and so did all of our members, Ron and his friends are known all over the world because of their incredible discoveries.
Ron was happy to answer all questions in our Q & A session.
Paignton Probus Club 
The talk was interesting and well reported .
So many gold coins found , I think the finding group were underpaid for them .
Charles E .