CV10_01 Irish Sea Priorty Area

INFOMAR continued to progress surveying of a priority area in the Irish Sea during April and June with the Marine Institute's research vessel Celtic Voyager. On this leg CV10_01, the survey extended from Clogher Head, Co. Louth in the north to Wicklow Head, Co. Wicklow in the south.

Overview of the area surveyed in the Irish Sea during the CV10_01 leg in April and June 2010.

During the survey, the remains of 13 ship wrecks were surveyed. These had all been previously charted however this new data will allow the locations of the wrecks to be pin pointed with greater accuracy. Initial research of existing databases suggests that 5 of the ships were sunk as a result of attacks on British merchant vessels during World War 1.

Perspective view of survey data showing the SS Hare on the seabed.

For more information about wrecks surveyed by INFOMAR visit here

Another interesting feature that became apparent on the multibeam sonar data was the presence of a number of small features in the seabed, east of Wicklow Head. Further investigation using a drop camera showed the features to be boulders up to 2 metres in size. They have been interpreted as granite boulders deposited offshore by glacial processes.

Photograph taken by an underwater camera of the boulders on the seabed off Wicklow Head.

Due to the strong tidal currents operating in the Irish Sea, the multibeam sonar data also surveyed a large scour area off the Wicklow coast. This large depression is over 100 metres deep whereas the surrounding water depth is closer to 30 metres. The feature is over 2.5 kilometres long and 600 metres wide.

Tidal scour feature surveying during the CV10_01 leg.

All INFOMAR data is available for free download here.