KRY10_04 Blacksod Bay

The final survey undertaken in 2010 by the RV Keary was in Blacksod Bay, Co. Mayo in late September and early October. This area had existing datasets from INFOMAR surveys when Celtic Voyager mapped a large portion of the deeper water between Achill Island and the Mullet Peninsula in 2008. The other datasets seen below are a combination of LiDAR from Tenix LADS and Pelydrn campaigns in 2008 and 2010, respectively. It was left for the Keary to fill the spaces between these surveys and to run comparison cross lines to ensure that all data could be joined seamlessly upon completion of the bay. Initial progress was good, however with the beginning of October so came a deterioration in weather which limited survey operations on this exposed stretch of coast. The images below show the progress in multibeam sonar coverage until surveying was postponed on 15th October with the RV Keary returning to Dun Laoghaire for the winter.

Overview of multibeam sonar coverage achieved from KRY10_04 in Blacksod Bay, Co. Mayo. Blue hatching showing areas already covered by Celtic Voyager and LiDAR datasets.

Detail of multibeam sonar data collected south of Duvillaun More off the SW tip of the Mullet Peninsula showing outcropping bedrock with sediment accumulation in the eastern lee side of the outcrop.

Detail of multibeam sonar data collected North of Slievemore, Achill Island showing sedimentary bedforms on the seabed.

The RV Keary will return to Blacksod Bay in the near future to complete the survey and groundtruth the bay.