Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Maelstrom in Saltstraumen

IMG_4460 Saltstraumen inflatable boats


Can you imagine what 13 billion cubic feet of water rushing through an impossibly narrow, 500-foot-wide channel would look like? I couldn’t fathom it, but I was about to find out.

During our family vacation on the Hurtigruten Cruise in Norway, we signed up for the “Saltstraumen Safari” near the city of Bodø. This excursion promised to take us to Saltstraumen, the sound that connects the Saltfjord on the west and the much larger Skjerstadfjord on the east. When the tide tries to fill the Skjerstadfjord, up to 400 million cubic meters of seawater surges through the strait that is only 3 kilometers long and 150 meters wide.

View Norway in a larger map (use buttons on top left to zoom in or out)

Our guide carefully checked to make sure we were all properly dressed in our fashion-forward waterproof gear and helped us into the inflatable rubber raft.

IMG_4466 Saltstraumen guide

To the passengers’ squealing delight, our boat driver opened up the engine full throttle as soon as we cleared the speed limit zone near the docks.

On the Norwegian Sea side of the buoys, the water was still quite calm...

IMG_4465 Saltstraumen buoys

...but minutes later, we saw that the rock formations along the banks of the fjord bore clues to their turbulent past.


IMG_4455 saltstraumen scenery

IMG_4454 Saltstraumen scenery

As the channel narrowed, the teal blue water became more restless.

IMG_4472 Saltstraumen blue water

Four times daily, the current can gain speeds up to 22 knots (~40 km/hr or ~25 mph), making this the strongest tidal current in the world.

IMG_4490 Saltstraumen current

The topography creates powerful whirlpools also called Maelstroms.


IMG_4487 Saltstraumen maelstrom

We passed through when the current was turning and the water was deemed "navigable". During the peak, the vortices of the whirlpools can reach 10 meters (~30 ft) in diameter and 5 meters (~15 ft) in depth. The force of these maelstroms are capable of eroding holes in the rock bed that are over 40 meters (~130 ft) deep.

We all gasped when our guide told us that extreme scuba diving is a popular sport here.


It seemed contradictory to see the bucolic scenery along the banks, with hikers enjoying the delicate wildflowers and sidestepping roosting waterfowl.

IMG_4498 Saltstraumen scenery

I was actively concerned for the safety of this black cow who looked like she could loose her footing on the slippery rocks at any moment.


IMG_4500 cow at Saltstraumen

We saw many fishing boats with motors fit enough to get them out of most any maelstrom jams.

IMG_4513 Saltstraumen fishing boat

I know nothing of fishing but it looks like this boat is equipped with every kind of fishing rod imaginable, or are they backup rods in case they loose a battle in the vortex?


IMG_4514 Saltstraumen fishermen

We even saw one angler catch a fish, but they deemed it too small and tossed it back into the maelstrom. Anglers most commonly catch saithe and cod, but they can also expect to catch catfish, rose fish, trout, herring and halibut. Coalfish is the specialty of this area.

BTW, if you look closely, you can see that this small boat is powered by a 400 horsepower engine (!).


IMG_4515 Saltstraumen fishermen

Then it was time to jet back because the tide was gaining strength.

IMG_4493 Saltstraumen inflatable boat

***

UPDATE: Thanks to Cuban in London, I have found the riveting short story by Edgar Allan Poe "A Descent into the Maelstrom" (1841). Here is an excerpt:

In a few minutes more, there came over the scene another radical alteration. The general surface grew somewhat more smooth, and the whirlpools, one by one, disappeared, while prodigious streaks of foam became apparent where none had been seen before. These streaks, at length, spreading out to a great distance, and entering into combination, took unto themselves the gyratory motion of the subsided vortices, and seemed to form the germ of another more vast. Suddenly --very suddenly --this assumed a distinct and definite existence, in a circle of more than half a mile in diameter. The edge of the whirl was represented by a broad belt of gleaming spray; but no particle of this slipped into the mouth of the terrific funnel, whose interior, as far as the eye could fathom it, was a smooth, shining, and jet-black wall of water, inclined to the horizon at an angle of some forty-five degrees, speeding dizzily round and round with a swaying and sweltering motion, and sending forth to the winds an appalling voice, half shriek, half roar, such as not even the mighty cataract of Niagara ever lifts up in its agony to Heaven.

The full story is here.
***

UPDATE: November 4, 2014.

One of the photos in this Flickr set was posted by tahoe_miner_174  on reddit, which inspired a spirited geological discussion here, It included a depiction, by mjackl, of the four major deformation events:



***

I will close with two videos. The first gives a brief look at the maelstrom in action.


This second video was taken by some brave divers.



30 comments:

Elisabeth said...

That's some journey. It's fascinating to see worlds, oceans and currents I might only dream of. Now I know what a maelstrom looks like. Thanks.

CC said...

Never knew what a maelstrom looked like.
What a fascinating part of the world. I'd love to see Scandinavia.

Thanks, D.

Anonymous said...

That tidal wave pool was very cool (and beautiful)...I have never seen anything like that! Wow, what breathtaking views...this is one gorgeous area!

Jeannette StG said...

Incredible landscapes and also scary! Thanks for taking us on tour with you:)

Marilyn Miller said...

I would have loved joining you on this adventure. Just beautiful! The rock formations look much like the water currants. Fascinating!

lorilaire said...

Très impressionnant !!!
Bisous
Lori

Lisa Gordon said...

What an amazing experience. Hard to imagine that much water in such a small place.
Gorgeous, gorgeous photographs!

Kala said...

Those rock formations are stunning. What an amazing trip you had!

A Cuban In London said...

I've no idea why I've got thi smental association (I'll that one to you, traveller from left brain to right brain! :-D)) but whilst enjoying your excellent pictures, I was thinking of Edgar Allan Poe, a writer I revere. Your photos are fantastic, and yet eerie. There's a sense of doom in them. The first one, especially, I'm attracted to it and yet I fear it. I can't imagine what it would be like to be there.

Many thanks. Great post.

Greetings from London.

susanna said...

I haven't seen anything like that before - cool! Mind you, I think anyone who dives in such turbulent water is crazy! The rock formations are amazing. I'd certainly blow up and frame that second photo of the rock formation. What a conversation starter for anyone who visited your home. Wish I could reach through my monitor and touch those jagged layers of rock.

And I like the contradiction between idyllic landscape and whirling water, too. What a gorgeous landscape.

I've been enjoying these Norway posts. This is my kind of trip. Thank you for sharing. Please continue to do so.

Ginnie Hart said...

With every post on this cruise, DB, I'm getting more and more excited about ours coming up. I don't think we have this option for an excursion, so I'm glad to see yours. I noticed the scuba diver had knee pads. I can just imagine, with that kind of currect!

rochambeau said...

This is a amazing post. Thank you for taking us along. Your essay is well written and the photos describe your experience very well. Who would think that such a turbulent whirlpool would sit next to this pastoral setting!!?? Also, who could image the peace that lies beneath?

Hope your weekend is going well Dutchbaby.
Happy Reading!

xox
Constance

Susan said...

Woo! That is scary beautiful, or beautifully scary, I'm not sure which. I'm not a fan of being in/on water, especially turbulent, swirling water that looks as if it could pull you into the deepest pits of hell. I've got cold chills. You're a brave woman.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Elisabeth,
Until this excursion, I did not know what a maelstrom looked like.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear CC,
I think you would like Scandinavia's colors and the simple, modest way people live there.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear tchesney,
I was so surprised to see the serene beauty along the banks of these violent waters.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear jeannette,
Thanks for coming along!

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Marilyn,
That would have been fun; you could have joined our spirited Scrabble games in the game room of the ship.

Dutchbaby said...

Cher lorilaire,
Merci de ta visite!

Dutchbaby said...

Dear lisa,
It was indeed a thrilling experience. Thank you for hosting your Creative Exchange!

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Kala,
I'm glad you like those rock formations too. My son couldn't understand why I was so taken with the rocks when there was all that turbulent water to observe, but I found the rocks just as dynamic.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Cuban,

Thank you for reminding me of Poe's story. I found its text in its entirety and updated this post with an excerpt. Thank you for bringing your well-read presence here. Poe's words describe the doom of the maelstrom at its peak, or I should say depth, like no other can.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear susanna,
Thank you for your nice comment about my photos. My father was a geologist, so it's probably not a big surprise that I was so enthralled with these rock formations. Cropped down even further, they would make a nice abstract image.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Ginnie,
I'm afraid that kneepads would not help me one bit if I was scuba diving in the maelstrom.

I can't wait to see photos of excursion you and Astrid will take.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Constance,
Thank you coming along on this excursion and for adding your kind comments.

I am enjoying "Cutting for Stone" immensely!

Margaret said...

Wow! I can't even imagine standing on the edge of that rock looking at that fast flowing water - let alone get in a boat on that water... I'm amazed. Amazing imagery.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Susan,
I never felt unsafe on this excursion because I had faith in our guide and driver and we were not out there when the currents were at their peak. Though I must admit, the water looked increasingly more ominous as we approached the Saltstraumen Bridge. This would not be a time to experience engine problems or to find yourself low on gas.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Margaret Bednar,
Watching the water was mesmerizing, but I was never worried for my safety. Thank you for visiting Dutchbaby!

Relyn Lawson said...

OH, this is wonderful. Aren't you so glad you did it? Your post reminds me that I rarely regret the things I do, only the opportunities I miss. I love that you don't miss many.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Relyn,
Yes, I am very glad we took this excursion. It was truly remarkable.

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