KRY10_02 Kinsale Harbour and Approaches

Following on from survey work by the RV Celtic Voyager in 2008 of the deeper water from the Old Head of Kinsale to Ballycotton, the RV Keary completed the inshore portion of the remaining bathymetric surveying necessary for Kinsale Harbour and Approaches. This was the Keary's first survey work outside of Dublin Bay, with a successful survey of the inshore strip along the east side of the Old Head, into the harbour as far as the bridge over the river Bandon and east along the coast as far as Barry's Head.

Extent of coverage from the RV Keary survey in Kinsale with existing Celtic Voyager data shown in the hatched area.

Before the survey was commenced, a calibration of the multibeam system was necessary and the relatively deep water and defined shape of the hull of RMS Lusitania lying on the seabed off the Old Head provided a good site. One of Ireland's best known wrecks, the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-Boat on May 7th 1915 resulting in the deaths of over one thousand people onboard.

Plan view of EM3002 D multibeam data showing the clear outline of the hull resting on it's side. Also apparent is the fracture at mid ship seen in both the dataset above and seabed image capture below.


Oblique view of EM3002 D multibeam data point cloud showing the shape of the wreck on the seabed along the hull.


Multibeam sonar data collected west of Big Sovereign island, east of Kinsale Harbour, showing well exposed, folded and faulted bedrock on the seabed.

Further information on the wrecks surveyed by INFOMAR is available here.

All INFOMAR data is available for free download here.