Saltstraumen
Often Described As The World'S Strongest Tidal Current: Seawater Forced Through A 150 M Wide Strait Every Six Hours, Forming Whirlpools · Bodo, Nordland
Saltstraumen is a narrow strait about 30 km south-east of Bodo where the tide forces a huge volume of seawater - often quoted at around 400 million cubic metres - between the Saltfjord and the Skjerstadfjord through a channel roughly 150 m wide and about 3 km long, four times a day. At peak flow the current is often said to reach up to about 20 knots, and whirlpools up to roughly 10 m across spin up and vanish on the surface, which is why Saltstraumen is often described as the world's strongest tidal current. You watch it from the high road bridge on road 17 or from the rocky shore beside it, and the rich water it churns up draws fish, seals, sea eagles and anglers; the strait is famous for big coalfish and cod caught from the rocks. RIB boat trips run along the edge of the current, and experienced divers come for guided slack-water dives among dense marine life. The honest caveat: timing is everything - at slack water it is just a calm sound, the strongest whirlpools come only around spring tides, and a visit takes an hour or two, so it works best combined with Bodo.
Saltstraumen strait under the Saltstraumen bridge on road 17, about 30 km south-east of Bodo, Bodo, Nordland, Norway
Open around the clock all year, free, with no gates. What matters is the tide: the current turns roughly every six hours and peaks between the slack-water times, so look up the local tide table for the day (posted at the site and published for Saltstraumen - times shift later by roughly 50 minutes a day) and arrive about an hour before the strongest flow. Drive about 30-40 minutes from Bodo on road 17, or take the local bus from Bodo (roughly 45-60 minutes - confirm times on Entur). RIB trips run mainly in summer; book a day or two ahead. Diving only with a local dive centre at slack water.