Hydrologic Cycle: Maelstrom

A maelstrom is a particularly strong whirlpool. Where whirlpools are usually minor, a maelstrom is a much larger version. It is simply referred to as a free vortex, where any sort of fluid is pulled downward. Though commonly believed to be strong enough to pull in ships and other large objects, this is not the case. These strong whirlpools are created by strongly flowing currents and are usually found in very narrow straits. There are five incredibly strong whirlpools in the world, one of which is named the Old Sow and located in Maine.

This is an image of the Old Sow in Eastport Maine: