Moskenesstraumen is one of the strongest tidal currents in the world. It runs in the strait between Moskenøya and the small island of Mosken, at the southern tip of Lofoten. Enormous volumes of water are forced through the narrow passage with each tide change, creating powerful whirlpools and standing waves.
The maelstrom has been legendary for centuries. It appears on nautical charts from the 1500s. Edgar Allan Poe wrote about it in "A Descent into the Maelstrom" in 1841, and Jules Verne featured it in "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea." Both accounts exaggerated considerably, but the current is genuinely dangerous for small boats.
The maelstrom is visible from the ferry between Moskenes and Bodø, particularly during strong tidal shifts. It is most impressive during spring tides with opposing wind and current.
The maelstrom has been legendary for centuries. It appears on nautical charts from the 1500s. Edgar Allan Poe wrote about it in "A Descent into the Maelstrom" in 1841, and Jules Verne featured it in "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea." Both accounts exaggerated considerably, but the current is genuinely dangerous for small boats.
The maelstrom is visible from the ferry between Moskenes and Bodø, particularly during strong tidal shifts. It is most impressive during spring tides with opposing wind and current.
