County: Cork Site name: Cobh Cruise Terminal, Cork Harbour
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 08E0192; 08D012; 08R044
Author: Rex Bangerter, The Archaeological Diving Company Ltd, Brehon House, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
Site type: Seabed; no archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 579677m, N 566398m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.849426, -8.294976
Monitoring of the dredged extension to the existing berthing slot at Cobh Cruise Terminal was carried out in March 2008. The dredging process was undertaken by backhoe dredger, using differential GPS to allow accurate seabed excavation down to design depth. The existing berthing slot was extended on both its eastern and western side (Areas A–B), increasing its overall length by 45m, to achieve a total length of 385m. This extension has facilitated the berthing of Freedom-class vessels in all tied states. Dredging was undertaken to a design depth of –9m OD and resulted in the removal of 3m of seabed from Areas A and B. Monitoring of the dredging work was undertaken on a twelve-hour basis between 12 and 13 March 2008. The seabed area under development was previously inspected by ADCO. Diver-truthing of side scan-sonar anomalies identified for the Cork–Cobh Cruise Terminal (turning-circle) Scheme was undertaken in March 2005. This was followed by an additional dive inspection of the berthing slot in March 2005.
The removal of all seabed material was monitored. Seabed deposits were largely sterile in nature and very little man-made material was observed as part of the monitoring process. The seabed was primarily composed of a grey silty-clay deposit with frequent angular gravel and oyster shell inclusions. Frequent modern dumped material was recovered from the upper layers of the dredged material. No archaeologically significant material/deposit/structure was encountered as part of the monitoring.
