The Corryvreckan gulf (also called the Gulf of Corryvreckan and the Strait of Corryvreckan) is a narrow strait located between the Scottish islands of Jura and Scarba. It’s off the west coast of mainland Scotland.
The Corryvreckan whirlpool is the third largest whirlpool in the entire world. It’s located on the northern side of the gulf. It surrounds a pyramid-shaped pinnacle made of basalt and is created by the strong currents of the Atlantic ocean as well as unusual underwater topography in the Corryvreckan gulf itself. When the flood tide and/or the inflow from the Firth of Lorne (to the west of the strait) enters the Strait of Corryvreckan, it encounters a deep hole and a rising pinnacle as well as the narrowness of the strait itself.
These elements work together with the strong currents of the Atlantic Ocean to create the whirlpool; they also create standing waves, other smaller whirlpools, and a variety of other effects that can clearly be seen on the surface of the water. The waves in the whirlpool and throughout the Corryvreckan Gulf can exceed 30 feet (9 meters), and the speed at which the water enters the strait often exceeds 8.5 knots (16 kilometers or 10 miles per hour).
The gulf is not officially classified as being non-navigable (the nearby Little Corryvreckan—also known as the Grey Dogs—IS classified as being non-navigable by the Royal Navy), but it is known to be very violent and dangerous in most guides to the Scotland coast. Inexperienced skippers or those who don’t have knowledge of the gulf are warned to stay out of the area because of the speeds that the water reaches as well as the height of the waves. Many experienced scuba divers feel that the Corryvreckan whirlpool and surrounding waters are some of the most dangerous dives in all of Britain.
You would think that there would be very little marine life in the gulf, but both Minke whales and porpoises can be found swimming in the fast-moving water. In protected areas of the gulf such as hollows and coves, soft coral growth (such as Alcyonium digitalum) can be found. The pinnacle itself supports both dense mats of vegetation and a covering of barnacles on its’ most exposed areas.
In summary, exploring the Corryvreckan whirlpool and other features of the Corryvreckan Gulf can be done, but it should be undertaken only with tour operators and skippers who have extensive knowledge of the gulf as well as the surrounding areas.
