Sean Adams and Bui Van Hieu monitoring the results from the Side-Scan Sonar survey in the Lam River in 2013 (photo by Mark Staniforth).

The 2013 Field Season

The team carried also out a Side Scan Sonar Survey on Friday 18 October 2013 between 08:30 and 11:30 using a StarFish 452F side-scan Sonar. A local sand mining barge was utilized as the survey platform. In the absence of a fixed pole mount, a temporary bamboo rig for the sonar was established. Six lines were run along the river east of the Bến Thủy Bridge, approximately 50 metres apart. Each line was oriented in an approximately north-south direction. Each run was roughly in alignment with one of the Bến Thủy Bridge pylons. The six runs averaged approximately 750 metres each with a total distance surveyed of 3,663.1 metres. The survey data was captured onboard using ScanLine seabed imaging software and processed on shore using HyPack Hydrographic Survey Software. Four targets were identified, one of which has the potential to be the wooden wreck identified in 1997. The remaining targets are though to be modern mooring buoys, channel markers and/or a small fishing boat, however further survey and diver investigation will be required to determine the exact nature and origin of the targets.



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