Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 37 on 20/03/2008.

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Corryvreckan whirlpool

Hannah Adcock takes a cruise to see one of Scotland’s natural wonders.

Corryvreckan is one of the world’s most powerful whirlpools, located between the Islands of Jura and Scarba. Although notorious for its near fatal attempt to drown George Orwell and its gelatinous appearance in the Powell and Pressburger film classic, I Know Where I’m Going! it has been renowned as a source of power, myth and wonder for centuries.

Whirlpools have always held a special place in the human psyche. Homer, Jules Verne and Edgar Allan Poe were inspired by them; 16th century map makers were obsessed; even the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie pays tribute to their monstrous charms. However, artists rarely let something like factual accuracy get in the way of a good story and real life whirlpools are very different from their fictional counterparts. Many whirlpool enthusiasts prefer to call them ‘maelstroms,’ suggesting sound and fury, rather than one perfectly shaped vortice.

The surface appearance of whirlpools continually changes depending on tides, winds and underwater topography.

Since the days of St Columba and before, the Gulf of Corryvreckan has struck fear and awe into the hearts of maritime travellers. Even today, the dangers of the gulf are well documented on both naval and civil maritime charts, but it is navigable by skippers with experience – and local knowledge.

I had always wanted to see a whirlpool, without really knowing what they were, so I was delighted when I discovered that not only did Scotland possess one, but also that it was reputed .....

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By Hannah Adcock

Section : Scotland Treasures

Page number : 22