The whirlpools seem to have acted as both resurgencies and sink holes into the local limestone at different times. Indeed, local memory has it that the pools would drain very suddenly, with a whirlpool effect¹. Indeed, like the wonder, the pools apparently dragged in those who tested their power: in 2005 Mrs Mabel Hudson, 94, recalled that in her childhood her uncle worked for a farmer of the day, a Mr Knight, whose son had been lost down a Whirly Hole in the Neddern and never seen again. She herself was warned not to play around smaller whirly pools that were left open by Walker (these were still open in the 50's) ².

This seems, therefore, to match our description of a whirlpool that swallows water, but also has water coming out. The only questions therefore are why is this tied to the tide, and why the whirlpools were so odd? As John Nettleship has pointed out, this is probably because of an underground syphoning system*, albeit a very violent one. Syphoning springs classically run with an ebbing tide, as did our wonder.