Malström


Near the north-west coast of Norway between the islands of Fereau and Moskenesøy is one of the unique whirlpools on the planet - Malström. Wild and enchanting beauty attracts careless tourists, but since ancient times, local residents knew how dangerous and insidious this whirlpool could be.

Why was the Malstrom maelstrom formed?

Because of the mixing of the warm Gulf Stream and the coastal tidal current at a certain time of day, a lot of funnels are formed on the surface of the water, the movement of water in which is unpredictable. In addition, the coastline and the seabed of a complex structure, cut by gorges, aggravate the situation. When a strong west wind is blowing, at a distance of 3 km from the whirlpool, a terrifying rumble is heard warning the seafarers of danger.

Is Malstrem really dangerous?

Even in ancient times, the skalds composed their songs about the fact that a ship in a whirlpool is waiting for inevitable death in the abyss of the sea. Poets and writers of different countries often mentioned Malstrem in their works. Considering the photo of Malstrom's whirlpool from different angles, one can not make an unambiguous conclusion.

At the time of the Vikings, their ships, built of wood, often became victims of whirlpools due to the low speed of movement. Today, powerful engines can cope with the raging waters without problems. But this applies only to large ships, not small ships.

The speed of the current at the most dangerous time here is only 11 km / h, which does not pose a serious threat to modern seafarers. However, to give the stories of these places a greater charm local guides slightly embellish reality.

How to see the whirlpool of Malstrom?

If brave tourists are not afraid of stories about a monstrous crater off the coast of Norway, then you can see it first hand if you take a boat on a tour boat from the Lofoten Islands . In a dense approach to the whirlpool will not succeed, but to hear its hum at low tide and tide the opportunity is there. In addition, with a strong desire to hire a private helicopter and swirl over the whirlpool

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