The best example of what is ordinarily thought of as a vortex is the whirlpool that is formed where the water runs out of a bath or basin.
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Most whirlpools aren't cause for concern. However, those that are very large or powerful can pose a serious threat to anyone who comes too close. These very strong whirlpools are called maelstroms. They're most likely to form when currents collide near narrow bodies of water, such as straits.
In one tragic event in 1835, a two-masted schooner from Deer Island set sail with two brothers aboard. She went down in the whirlpool while the poor boys' mother watched in horror from shore as the schooner sank helplessly.
Most ships can withstand a whirlpool - not something that's in the general design of an ocean going ship. For a small boat it's best to stay out of the way!
The Saltstraumen maelstrom holds the Guinness world record for the strongest natural whirlpool in the world. This remarkable Norwegian eddy is estimated to have existed for over 3 millennia, when this coastal region had glaciers in its fjords and channels.
In a whirlpool there's no rope pulling the water back to the center. Instead the opposing force is created by the pressure of the surrounding water. So while the momentum of the spinning water acts as a force sending the water off in all directions, the surrounding water pressure forces it back to the center.
Whirlpools are pretty common in turbulent areas of rivers (rapids, base of waterfalls). In natural lakes, there are not many locations which would generate whirlpools, but in man-made reservoirs (like the lake in question), there are a few locations that can generate whirlpools.
You can describe a situation in which a lot of unpleasant or complicated things are happening, and from which it is very difficult to escape, as a whirlpool. They felt they were being sucked into a whirlpool of publicity. She became caught in a whirlpool of hate.