Old Sow whirlpool facts for kids

Old Sow is the biggest whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere. It's a giant spinning funnel of water! You can find it off the coast of Deer Island, New Brunswick, Canada, and near Eastport, Maine in the United States.

How Old Sow Forms

Old Sow forms because of special conditions in the ocean. The shape of the sea floor, called bathymetry, and the huge difference between high and low tides in the Bay of Fundy are key. Water rushes between Passamaquoddy Bay and the Bay of Fundy. The unusual shape of the sea floor, combined with many local currents, makes the water spin into a powerful whirlpool.

Size and Strength

The main part of Old Sow is about 250 feet (76 m) wide. That's like a big circle! This size was measured from an aerial photograph back in 1997.

Old Sow is one of only five major whirlpools in the world. The others are found in Scotland, Norway, and Japan. Even though the currents around Old Sow are very fast, its spinning power is not as strong as the Moskstraumen, which is the world's most powerful whirlpool in Norway.

Is it Safe?

The water around Old Sow can be very turbulent, meaning it's bumpy and swirly. However, it's usually not dangerous for large boats with experienced captains. But small boats, especially sailboats or human-powered boats like kayaks, should be careful. They are warned to avoid these waters when the tide is moving quickly.

Other Water Wonders

Around Old Sow, you can see other cool water features. There are many smaller whirlpools, sometimes called "piglets." You might also spot standing waves, which are waves that stay in one place. Sometimes, water can even rise up from below, called an upwelling, and on rare occasions, it might even shoot several feet into the air! You can also see deep, circular, or trench-shaped spots in the water, which can be 10–17 feet (3.0–5.2 m) deep or more.

Past Projects and Changes

In the 1930s, there was a project called the "Quoddy Dam." The idea was to use the powerful tides to create electricity. They built dikes, which are like walls, connecting islands near Eastport and Lubec. These changes to the local water flow reportedly made Old Sow's "funnel" effect less predictable.