![]() ![]() As is already known, dissipation and transfer of heat by water currents have an important role to play in determining the temperatures on land. Recent research reports suggest that whirlpools and maelstroms in the oceans influence the climate over land. The whirlpool formed near the dam that creates the lake. In June of 2015, a man-made whirlpool formed at Lake Texoma bordering the U.S. A drilling mishap in 1980 created a temporary giant whirlpool on Lake Peigneur in Louisiana in the U.S.A., an event that transformed the 3-feet deep lake into a 1,300 feet deep one, and resulted in the loss of large parts of a botanical garden, 10% of the land area of Jefferson Island, and other losses during the disaster. Though whirlpools and maelstroms are primarily a work of nature, the intrusion of man has often led to the development of whirlpools in areas with no such symptoms, at times followed by disastrous consequences. Whirlpools at the base of the Niagara Falls in North America, are also known for their perilous nature. Whirlpools are also known to form at the base of waterfalls. Here strong tides and huge volumes of water flowing into the strait are responsible for creating massive waves, maelstroms and an overall turbulent water flow. Another area of the world with lethal maelstroms involves the waters of the Corryvreckan strait to the north of the Gulf of Scotland in Scotland. Known as the Moskstraumen, this system of whirlpools and eddies are believed to have resulted from strong tides in the region as well as the unique features of the seabed in the region with shallow ridges between the islands of the archipelago. Another dangerous stretch of water with furious eddies and whirlpools occurs in the Norwegian Sea near the Lofoten archipelago of Norway. Tourists often visit the area to observe the violent maelstrom and wonder at its strength. Ships are allowed to pass through this strait only in specific periods of the day when the currents are less dangerous in nature. About 400 million cubic meters of water funnels through the narrow strait each day, resulting in highly turbulent waters and a giant maelstrom. The Saltstraumen strait, located near the Arctic Circle in Bodø, in the Norwegian county of Nordland, has the strongest maelstrom in the world. The presence of undulating geographical features on seabed might also result in such water vortexes. Whirlpools and maelstroms are caused when opposing currents meet or when strong winds blowing over the surface of water alter the direction of currents. There is not much difference between whirlpools and maelstroms, only the the latter refers to a much larger form of the former, usually occurring in the oceans and seas of the world. However, though this is not quite true, there is no denying that spots in the ocean with maelstroms and whirlpools can indeed suck in small vessels and unfortunate mariners who happen to fall into these dangerous waters. Whirlpools and maelstroms have for long fascinated the human imagination and has often produced exaggerated descriptions of these dangerous pools of swirling waters engulfing large ships into their deadly funnel. ![]()
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