The Maelstrom of Saltstraumen is earth's strongest Maelstrom. The water is creamy in colour and most turbulent during high tide. The largest whirlpool has a diameter of 130 to 160 feet and induces a surface water ripple of up to 3 feet. The strait at its narrowest is 150 m (490 ft) in width and water "funnels" through the channel four times a day. It is often witnessed by to… (Inside Science) -- A giant whirlpool off the east coast of Africa is even bigger than previously thought, on average larger than the state of Colorado, satellite data now reveals.The Great Whirl is a clockwise-spinning vortex that starts to form every April off the coast of Somalia, when winds blowing across the Indian Ocean change direction from west to east. It is estimated that 400 million cubic metres (110 billion US gallons) of water passes the narrow strait during this event. It is located close to the Arctic Circle, 33 km (20 mi) round the bay on Highway 17, south-east of the city of Bodø, Norway. The whirlpool is formed when the strong tidal current flow between the islands and the Atlantic Ocean and the deep Vestfjorden.