Then the sea roars through the mile-wide channel and if it coincides with strong westerly winds there is even greater drama. It is during the extra-high Spring tides that Corryvreckan’s action is at its greatest. They also fit out Humber RIBs for private and commercial boat operators, and doing sea trials on almost a daily basis means that Tony Hill and his team are in prime position to tailor boats for Scottish waters. The company, started by Tony Hill, was the first to take people out to watch wildlife from rigid inflatable boats (aka RIBs), with a top speed of 44 knots and with special seats designed for comfort and safety. Recently, several skilled and experienced boat operators have opened up a new area of marine tourism and take parties out to experience the thrills of the whirlpools, like award-winning Seafari Adventures, operating from Oban. However, if dived responsibly, Corryvrekan is not only challenging but rewarding, for the waters here are rich with marine life. The dummy had been sucked down an astonishing 200 metres into the abyss and there was gravel in the pockets of its life jacket, which had been severely torn. A weighted dummy wearing a life jacket and dive meter was thrown into the water close to Corryvreckan and was eventually found several miles out to sea. Corryvreckan is viewed as one of the most dangerous diving areas in Britain. With the threat of serious cutbacks to rescue services, foolhardy adrenaline junkies of the future may find they are at even greater risk. The whirlpool is exhilarating, almost hypnotic Smeared in sheep fat and hampered by the loss of a leg during the war, Dunn raised a large amount of money for the Erskine Hospital. He did so to celebrate the publication of Orwell’s book, 1984. Ultimately, nothing beats local knowledge and experience when dicing with Corryvreckan.ĭuring his time on Jura, George Orwell and his family almost came to grief in a small boat on the whirlpool, while in 1949 Orwell’s brother-in-law, Bill Dunn, was the first man to swim across the Gulf of Corryvreckan. Even following tide tables is no guarantee of safe passage, because there are so many variables, with winds and barometric pressure playing a huge role in the nature of this fascinating stretch of water. However, there have been plenty of near misses, with harrowing tales of yachts spinning like out-of-control tops. Scotland has many impressive tidal currents, not least of all those of the Pentland Firth between Orkney and the mainland, where the tide can indeed run at 16 knots.Īlthough the Royal Navy once classified the Gulf of Corryvreckan as ‘unnavigable’ – there are tales of countless ships being sucked into the whirlpool’s vortex – there are few, if any, records of this. It is frequently recorded that the tide race may be up to 16 knots but the fastest it has been recorded is 8½ knots. Modern-day Hans Christian Andersons spin misleading information and inaccurate statistics about Corryvreckan. As winter approaches, she then uses the water as a washtub and the sound of the roaring turbulence can be heard up to ten miles away. The whirlpool is also renowned for its folklore, in particular the tale of the Hag goddess, Cailleach Bheur, who is said to use the gulf to wash her long trailing plait and usher in the change from autumn to winter. Depending on the weather, standing waves are sometimes produced, some as much as 15 feet high. As fast flowing tides hit this pinnacle they cause massive upwellings, causing the water to churn capriciously like a vast boiling vat, a froth-filled cauldron of erratic and volatile activity. It is situated between the islands of Jura and Scarba, where its extremely unusual underwater topography and rock ridges, including a pinnacle called the Hag, have created the world’s third largest whirlpool. It is a description that suits the Coire Bhreacain – translated from the Gaelic as the Cauldron of the Speckled Seas and better known as the Corryvreckan Whirlpool. The dictionary gives the meaning of the word ‘maelstrom’ as a confused, disorientated state of affair an irresistably overpowering influence for destruction. The Corryvreckan whirlpool is the world’s third largest and its massive tidal upswellings and boiling waters make for a memorable experience.
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