Hydro-Graphic & Sonar Images of the Empress of Ireland Shipwreck Today
Several years ago I was fortunate to communicate with a gentlemen who was working on some new software and they happen to use the Empress of Ireland as their target. The Red, Yellow and Orange colors are the warmer colors of the shipwreck which is the port side and is closer to the surface of the water. The Green and Blue are the colder colors and represent deeper water.
In this picture you can see that the Empress was very close to sinking in much deeper water. The Purple and Dark Blue colors are much colder deeper water. While the Empress lies on her starboard side on top of the underwater hill in much warmer water.
I don't have the experience or the eye of a hydrographer but I was told that the Empress of Ireland actually plowed into the sea bed when she hit the bottom. You may not be able to see it in these in the following images, but there are actually gouges and debris spreading in a fan away from the bow of the ship.
This is another view of the Empress is lying on a hill one end is higher than the other. Also just how close the Empress was to sinking into deeper water.
Looking forward toward the bow of the Empress. The forward mast has fallen onto the river bed and you still can see the crow's nest.
Looking at the bow towards the stern. The forward mast has fallen over, still connected to the deck of the Empress but the top of the mast rest on the river bed.
Port side showing the open gangway doors and the upper super structure falling towards the starboard side
Looking forward toward the bow of the Empress. The forward mast has fallen onto the river bed and you still can see the crow's nest.
Above are various underwater images of the Empress of Ireland shipwreck as it is today. The heat sensitive color images are shows the various temperatures on the wreck. The warmest surface temperatures are shown in red at the highest point on the wreck going down to the colder temperatures are at the bottom of the wreck in green. The Empress of Ireland is lying on a slope and the darker blue and purple colors is the deeper water of the St. Lawrence River.
Hover over the picture below and click to see other pictures of the wreck as she lies today.
