As a young girl, I first watched the 1945 classic Scottish romance film "I Know Where I'm Going" and heard the story of the maelstrom of the whirlpool Corryvreckan, the third strongest in the world. I never forgot the name. Certain conditions can create a standing wave of huge proportions above the pinnacle of rock. The particular topography under the water between the islands of Jura and Scarba when added to the tidal flow through the narrow channel creates the whirlpool and its roar can be heard from some distance away. All the navigation charts say "dangerous to all shipping, approach with caution" and you have to get the conditions right to go anywhere near it.
So when Hubby told me his route recently took him past Corryvreckan yacht sailing, I was watching the tide charts and weather with interest and a little trepidation. The collage from top to bottom shows what it can look like from a public domain image, a phone pic of the lovely calm view Hubby had when he passed through the gulf, the topography of the ocean there and a painting from the early 1800s entitled "in peril at Corryvreckan." A fascinating place as all dangerous places on earth are.
This is the theatrical trailer for the old film just for fun:
@sangwann Absolutely! A famed phenomenon. A westerly wind on a springs tide and you can end up sucked into its pull. He did not sail right over the top of it and it was in quieter mode when the passed it. Some daredevils take speedboat rides over the top when active but I wouldn’t choose that personally!
I watched the trailer too & feel I would like watching that too……a date for the winter months I think.. personally I wouldn’t go within a mile if that place & well done all the brave adventurers who do. Thanks for posting this interesting phenomenon.
An interesting collage and information about the fascinating whirlpool. I seem to remember a programme on TV when divers can swim under it at certain times of the year.
So interesting and intrepid too, as you say! I didn't know of this one, but I remember visiting the saltstraumen near Bodø in Norway a few years back. Quite fascinating and good for fishing if I recall correctly.
Ian