The Old Hag

An old hag churns the waters near two islands off the western coast of Scotland. The churning creates the third-largest whirlpool in the oceans—the Gulf of Corryvreckan, or Brecan’s cauldron.

Scottish folklore says the Old Hag was the goddess of winter. She stirs the water while washing her plaids. When scientists discovered that a pillar of rock on the ocean floor helps do the churning, they called it “the Old Hag.”

The maelstrom fires up as tidal currents flow between the islands of Jura and Scarba. The strait is narrow and deep, so it acts like a funnel. The currents get faster—sometimes reaching

As the flow exits the strait, it encounters a large, deep hole, followed by the pillar. Water flows up the side of the pillar, forming whirlpools and other features. When the flow is especially strong, waves can reach heights of 30 feet, and the cauldron’s roar can be heard 10 miles away.

The waters are considered some of the most dangerous in Britain. Legend says that King Brechan of Norway tried to prove his bravery to a princess by anchoring in the maelstrom. But when his anchors gave way, he drowned.

And in 1947, author George Orwell narrowly avoided the same fate. He was traveling across the cauldron with his son, niece, and nephew when his boat’s motor was damaged. They rowed to a rocky outcrop, where the boat capsized and sank. Orwell and party were rescued by a fishing boat—escaping the watery clutches of the Old Hag.