As an island connected to the mainland by the evocatively named Bridge Over the Atlantic this is a real seafaring community. The Seafari Adventure leaves from Easdale on the Isle of Seil. As it was just me, my fellow sailors and the wildlife of the Firth of Lorn bearing witness to my outfit, I figured it was ok. And certainly as I popped one of Seafari Adventure’s bright yellow waterproof jackets over my head and pulled it down to cover the matching trousers, I knew I wasn’t looking my most glamorous. My Seafari Adventure to the Corryvreckan whirlpool My three hour boat tour, a delightfully relaxed and informative afternoon, came to an end all too quickly. Farsain Cruises’ boat tours can be arranged by emailing Duncan Phillips. In truth I didn’t fancy being tossed around in a whirlpool and instead enjoyed a very civilised cup of tea half way through the boat tour, which we sipped as birds swooped and circled overhead. But I have to admit, I wasn’t disappointed. On our visit it was so placid that without him telling us we were there we would never have known.
CORRYVRECKAN MAELSTROM TORRENT
However I was more than satisfied seeing sea eagles, seals, red deer, an otter, wild goats, a variety of bird life including guillemots, shags, gulls, oyster catchers, ravens, gannets, razor bills, and cormorants.ĭuncan explained that the Corryvreckan whirlpool can either be a dangerous raging torrent or as calm as a mill pond. He bemoaned the lack of dolphins and porpoises. However during our three hour tour Duncan, who has an wealth of knowledge about the local seas and best places to spot wildlife, expressed regret at the lack of animal sightings. Not only is the landscape striking, but it’s home to an abundance of wildlife. My boat tour was to see the Corryvreckan whirlpool but there was so much more to the Firth of Lorn. Today, he shares his deep local knowledge and seafaring enthusiasm on daily boat tours. His boat the Farsain is well-equipped, cover is available for wet days and it even has a toilet. Personable and engaging, Englishman Duncan left the hustle and bustle of corporate London to reside in the tranquillity of rural Scotland.
CORRYVRECKAN MAELSTROM FULL
Duncan has been sailing the Corryvreckan whirlpool and Firth of Lorn for more than 24 years.Īrriving at Craobh Haven Marina the waters were calm, the port full of boats yet there was hardly a soul in sight. Many people told me I had to take a boat tour with the irrepressible Duncan Phillips. However little did we expect the experiences we had… It has been described as unnavigable, with scuba divers calling it “potentially the most dangerous dive in Britain”, but many local sailors who know the waters well sail it regularly. With all this in mind, we were fascinated about what we’d discover on our journeys. Checking my life-jacket, I held on tight ready for a speedy, splashy, wild journey into the Corryvreckan whirlpoolįlood tides and inflow from the Firth of Lorn can turn the waters in the Corryvreckan into waves of more than nine metres, and the roar of the resulting maelstrom can be heard 16 kilometres away. They offered two very different ways to experience this wild sea – one of us would head out on a RIB Seafari Adventure, while the other would enjoy a more leisurely journey sailing aboard a small boat.Ĭorryvreckan whirlpool is the third largest in the world and is found in a narrow strait between the islands of Jura and Scarba, a few miles from where we were staying at Melfort Village. But there’s always more than one way of doing things and when we discovered there were two popular tours of Corryvreckan whirlpool and the Firth of Lorn, we decided to try them both. When we heard this, we knew we’d have to visit. The Corryvreckan whirlpool is an enigma of Scotland’s west coast – its name alone conjures up maritime mysticism and might, translating as cauldron of the speckled seas. It’s like something from a legendary story of the sea.
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