Whirlpool such violent tidal surges: Three of the most notable literary references to the Lofoten Maelstrom date from the nineteenth century. The first is the Edgar Allan Poe short story "A Descent into the Maelström" (1841). The second is "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" (1870), the famous novel by Jules Verne. At the end of this novel, Captain Nemo seems to commit suicide, sending his "Nautilus" submarine into the Maelstrom (although in Verne's sequel Nemo and the Nautilus were seen to have survived). The "Norway maelstrom" is also mentioned in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick". In the 'Life of St Columba', the author,
French ship Jules Verne (A620) French ship Jules Verne (A620) Jules Verne is a repair ship of the French Navy, named in honour of science-fiction writer Jules Verne. Originally named "Achéron" and intended as an ammunition transport ship, she was converted to repair ship after her keel had been laid. "Jules Verne" was long based in Djibouti (she was featured on the 10 000-Djiboutian francs banknote). In 1997, she was assigned to the Force d'Action Navale. She was designed to replenish, refuel and repair the ships of an operational force at sea. She was fitted with a complete 240-m2 hospital including an operating theatre, a