Underwater Surveys & Mapping

How much we know about the deep sea, and the geological structure of it is all thanks to underwater mapping and surveys. We do this by using a variety of instruments operated from coastal and ocean vessels. We determine water depth by using echo sounders. A variety of geophysical instruments are used to see the characteristics of the seabed and the rocks beneath it. Marine surveys are done to collect a variety of data about navigable waters to ensure navigational safety for vessels. The ocean covers 71% of the earth - roughly 362 million square kilometres of the earth's surface and we have only mapped a small fraction of this! Allow Commercial Divers Miami FL professional divers to help you navigate the ocean with an in-depth knowledge of the area you travel.

The three main types of Marine Surveys
Three main types of underwater surveys can be done. This includes a continental shelf survey, which allows for the study of shallow waters, closer to landmasses. This is done to support safe navigation as well as assist in the design of coastal structures and defences. The second type of marine survey is a seismic survey, and this is done to investigate the geological structure almost to below the seafloor. This is primarily conducted for exploration purposes. Lastly, a deep ocean survey, in which we investigate the seabed at depths of up to 6kms or deeper. The results of this survey method are used to assist in the installation and maintenance of things such as routing and design of submarine cables.  

Why is it important?
Knowledge of the sea and the seafloor is vital to humankind. It is critical for the safety of marine navigation, our knowledge of the world we inhabit, marine life preservation, and important and practical problems such as the design of underwater structures and submarine cable, and much more! The vast majority of our oceans remain unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored and only a small fraction of our seafloor has been mapped out. We work to address this and assist in both the economic and ecological benefits seen as a result of this kind of work.  

How we map
The first measuring devices for the sea were sounding poles and lines with weights attached to them. We have come a long way since then as technology has developed and our knowledge has grown. The mapping of the seafloor is now done by the use of sound waves bouncing off the seafloor and back up. Echo sounders aboard ships have transducers that transmit and receive sound waves to cover an area and determine the shape and depth of the area being mapped. Different frequencies can also be used to determine different factors. 

Sea wall inspection 
A sea wall is a coastal area’s first line of defence when a severe storm hits. Shoreline protection in the form of a sea wall is one of the best strategies to fight against ongoing erosion and maintenance on your property. Ensuring your sea wall is in good condition is imperative in protecting your home or property. Contact Commercial Divers Miami FL for a proper and professional sea wall inspection, where we check both above water and below water and provide you with an in-depth report, as it is critical that you have all the information you need about your first line of defence. We will check the overall condition of the seawall, provide HD video and photography footage, as well as provide any recommendations if any repairs are required.