Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE SCOTTISH MAELSTROM
It may look innocuous on the map, but the Gulf of Corryvreckan - the 1km-wide channel between the northern
end of Jura and the island of Scarba - is home to one of the three most notorious tidal whirlpools in the world (the
others are the Maelstrom in Norway's Lofoten Islands, and the Old Sow in Canada's New Brunswick).
The tide doesn't just rise and fall twice a day, it flows - dragged around the earth by the gravitational attraction
of the moon. On the west coast of Scotland, the rising tide - known as the flood tide - flows northwards. As the
flood moves up the Sound of Jura, to the east of the island, it is forced into a narrowing bottleneck jammed with
islands and builds up to a greater height than the open sea to the west of Jura. As a result, millions of tonnes of sea
water pour westwards through the Gulf of Corryvreckan at speeds of up to 8 knots - an average sailing yacht is
going fast at 6 knots.
The
Corryvreckan Whirlpool
forms where this mass of moving water hits an underwater pinnacle, which
rises from the 200m-deep sea bed to within just 28m of the surface, and swirls over and around it. The turbulent
waters create a magnificent spectacle, with white-capped breakers, standing waves, bulging boils and overfalls,
and countless miniature maelstroms whirling around the main vortex.
Corryvreckan is at its most violent when a flooding spring tide, flowing west through the gulf, meets a westerly
gale blowing in from the Atlantic. In these conditions, standing waves up to 5m high can form and dangerously
rough seas extend more than 3 miles west of Corryvreckan, a phenomenon known as the Great Race.
You can see the whirlpool by making the long hike to the northern end of Jura (check tide times at Jura Hotel,
and look under Activities for walk details), or by taking a boat trip from the Isle of Seil with Sea.fari (
Click here
)
or Sea Life Adventures (
Click here
)
, or from Islay with Islay Sea Safaris (
Click here
)
.
For more information, see
www.whirlpool-scotland.co.uk
.
Sleeping & Eating
Places to stay on the island are very limited, so book ahead - don't rely on just turning up
and hoping to find a bed. Most of Jura's accommodation is in self-catering cottages that
are let by the week (see
www.juradevelopment.co.uk
)
.
You can
camp
for free in the field below the Jura Hotel (ask at the bar first, and pop a
donation in the bottle); there are toilets and hot showers (£1 coin) in the block behind the
hotel. From July to February, check on the deer-stalking situation before
wild camping
elsewhere on the island (information available from the hotel).
Sealladh Na Mara££
(
01496-820349;
www.isleofjura.net
;
Knockrome; per person from £37)
A modern croft
house about 4 miles north of Craighouse, this place offers B&B in two cosy, IKEA-fur-
nished bedrooms and a lovely guest lounge with a patio overlooking the sea. Evening
B&B
