Into the Maelstrom

Wild Swimming Brothers, 24-year-old Jack Hudson, 26-year-old Calum Hudson and 29-year-old Robbie Hudson

Moskstraumen whirlpool, site of the Moskstraumen swim in Norway by the Hudson Brothers

Saltstraumen whirlpool, site of the Saltstraumen swim in Norway by the Hudson Brothers

Into the Maelstrom was an open water swimming tandem swim by the Wild Swimming Brothers (Hudson Brothers including 24-year-old Jack Hudson, 26-year-old Calum Hudson and 29-year-old Robbie Hudson) to swim across the two biggest and most powerful whirlpools in the world, the Moskstraumen and Saltstraumen in Norway. Swirling violently off the Norwegian coast, above the Arctic Circle and on the edge of the Lofoten Islands, these two vast whirlpools have the strongest and fastest tidal currents in the world.

Dates

The swimming expedition was completed in August 2016.

Objective

To raise awareness about oil drilling plans in the Lofoten Islands.

Mosktraumen swim

The Mosktraumen swim was a 2 hour 31 minute 8 km point-to-point crossing between the islands of Vaeroy and Mosken across the strongest and biggest whirlpool in the world. Its central whirlpool has a diameter of some 40–50 meters (130–160 feet) and tides combined with the northerly Norwegian Sea currents and storm-induced flow result in currents up to 10.7 knots (20 km/h; 12 mph). The Moskstraumen swim was a 2 hour 31 minute 8 km point-to-point interisland crossing between the islands of Vaeroy and Mosken in Norway. They overcame the largest whirlpool in the world, with a central whorl spanning a diameter of some 40–50 meters (130–160 feet) and fierce tides that combine the northerly Norwegian Sea currents and storm-induced flow, resulting in currents of up to 10.7 knots (20 km/h; 12 mph).

Saltstraumen swim

The Saltstraumen swim is a 10-minute 0.25 km rapid sprint across a tidal split with the world's fastest whirlpool, up to 400,000,000 cubic metres of seawater forces its way through a 3 km long and 250-meter wide strait every six hours, with water speeds reaching 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) as they dodged red jellyfish to become the first people to swim across the whirlpool. The margin between success and dreadful failure was less than one minute, with the current suddenly turning a moment after they made it safely into the boat.