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New Pokémon
Gold Silver Crystal

Pokemon 086Seel.pngSeel
Pokemon 116Horsea.pngHorsea
After acquiring the
Silver Wing:
Pokemon 249Lugia.pngLugia

Route 41

The confusing maze of interconnected islets that make up Whirl Island can be frustrating, so study the maps below. You need to pick up Whirlpool from Team Rocket's Hideout to get near the Island and the Silver Wing from the man in Pewter City (Gold and Crystal) or the Radio Station Manager in Goldenrod City (Silver) to find Lugia.

The networks of islands in Route 41 conceal a hidden dungeon that is Lugia's new home. Of course, Lugia won't appear until you have the Silver Wing, which Silver players earn at the Radio Tower while Gold and Crystal players earn much later in Kanto's Pewter City. But Gold and Crystal players may want to pay an early visit to this dungeon nonetheless: It's the only place in the game where Seel and Horsea appear.

Whirl Island entrances[edit]

There are four islands in Route 41 that can be reached by using the Whirlpool move at the little eddies that block the entrances. There are some valuable items here, but the thing that should interest you most is Lugia, and the only way to get to it is from the Northeast island.

Northwest entrance Northeast entrance
Pokemon GSC map Whirl Islands NW.png
The ladder at the top connects with the ladder in the upper-left corner of the basement. The two lower ladders are part of a set of tunnels that return you to the basement from the subterranean waterfall.
Pokemon GSC map Whirl Islands NE.png
The two ladders in this entrance correspond with the two ladders found in the upper-right corner of the basement.
Southwest entrance Southeast entrance
Pokemon GSC map Whirl Islands SW.png
The two ladders in this entrance correspond with the two bottommost ladders in the basement. The two lower ladders are part of a set of tunnels that return you to the basement from the subterranean waterfall.
Pokemon GSC map Whirl Islands B1a.png
The ladder in this entrance connects with the ladder on a raised ledge in the lower-right corner of the basement.

Basement[edit]

Whirl Islands basement

All of the interconnected passageways pass through this giant basement level beneath all four Whirl Islands. The fastest way to reach Lugia is by entering the Northeast island and taking the ladder in the upper right corner down to the ladder in the upper right corner of the basement. Follow the raised ledge to the south until you reach another ladder that leads down to the subterranean waterfall.

Pokemon GSC map Whirl Islands SE.png

The cave in the middle of the basement is not an entrance, but rather it serves as an exit from the subterranean waterfall when you are ready to return to the surface. After passing through two tunnels, you will arrive in the cave interior shown to the left. Exit through the door to find yourself near the centre of the basement.

Waterfall[edit]

Waterfall
Cave interior

If you have the Silver Wing, this is where you'll find Lugia. Save before you battle it, because Lugia will disappear for good if you accidentally K.O. it. Don't worry too much though, as Lugia will reappear once you defeat the Elite Four again.

Electric Pokémon work best here, so hit Lugia with everything you've got. Do your best to get it Paralyzed or put to Sleep so it can't heal itself effectively, and then toss Ultra Balls (or Heavy Balls) until you capture it.

#249 Lugia
Pokemon 249Lugia.png
Lugia's level will depend on which version you are encountering it in. In Silver, it will be level 40. In Gold, it will be level 70, and in Crystal, level 60. Only the level 40 Lugia from Silver can get Aeroblast (the game's strongest Flying technique). All versions know Recover, which is incredible since Lugia has a ton of HP and great defenses. And in addition to Psychic and Flying abilities, Lugia comes with Hydro Pump at level 44, the best Water attack. Stat-wise, Lugia is the strongest Pokémon in the game.

Pokémon found[edit]

Whirl Islands encounters
Gold Silver Crystal
Morn Day Night Morn Day Night Morn Day Night
Pokemon 041Zubat.pngZubat 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30%
Pokemon 042Golbat.pngGolbat 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 10%
Pokemon 086Seel.pngSeel 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 25% 25% 0%
Pokemon 098Krabby.pngKrabby 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 40% 40% 60%
Pokemon 072Tentacool.pngTentacool 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60%
Pokemon 073Tentacruel.pngTentacruel 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%
Pokemon 116Horsea.pngHorsea 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30%
Fishing
Old Rod Good Rod Super Rod
Pokemon 129Magikarp.pngMagikarp 85% 35% N/A
Pokemon 098Krabby.pngKrabby 15% 55% 40%
Pokemon 099Kingler.pngKingler N/A N/A 20%
Pokemon 116Horsea.pngHorsea N/A 10% 30%
Pokemon 117Seadra.pngSeadra N/A N/A 10%
Items
  • Guard Spec (G/S only) - southwestern section
  • Ultra Ball (Crystal only) - southwestern section
  • Full Restore
  • Escape Rope
  • Calcium
  • Carbos
  • Max Elixir
  • Full Restore
  • Nugget
  • Ultra Ball
  • Max Revive
  • Max Ether (Hidden) - outside on the southwest Island, in the northwestern corner on the ground.
  • Ultra Ball (Hidden) - inside in the main cave area, on the east side at the end of a short dead-end path.
  • Full Restore (Hidden) - inside in the main cave area, on the west side in a rock, which is surrounded by wall on two sides.
  • Rare Candy (Hidden) - inside in the main cave area, near the northeastern corner, in a space surrounded by three rocks to south and east plus a wall to the north.

Pokémon found Surfing 1F[edit]

1F Surfing encounters
Gold Silver Crystal
Morn Day Night Morn Day Night Morn Day Night
Pokemon 072Tentacool.pngTentacool 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60%
Pokemon 073Tentacruel.pngTentacruel 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%
Pokemon 116Horsea.pngHorsea 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30%

Pokémon found Surfing B2F[edit]

B2F Surfing encounters
Gold Silver Crystal
Morn Day Night Morn Day Night Morn Day Night


Pokemon 073Tentacruel.pngTentacruel 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%
Pokemon 116Horsea.pngHorsea 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90%

Pokémon found Surfing B2F Inner[edit]

B2F Inner Surfing encounters
Gold Silver Crystal
Morn Day Night Morn Day Night Morn Day Night
Pokemon 073Tentacruel.pngTentacruel 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30%
Pokemon 116Horsea.pngHorsea 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60%
Pokemon 117Seadra.pngSeadra 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%


#116 Horsea #86 Seel
Pokemon 116Horsea.png
If you trade Seadra (Horsea's evolved form), which it's holding the Dragon Scale, it will evolve into a Dragon/Water Kingdra. Kingdra is an interesting Pokémon because Dragon has resistance to everything Water is vulnerable to (and Water removes Dragon's Ice weakness), potentially making Kingdra viable in tournament-level play.
Pokemon 086Seel.png
Seel hasn't gained any new moves, but it has been sped up; it now learns Aurora Beam, Rest, and Ice Beam nearly 20 levels sooner than it used to! Make sure not to evolve into Dewgong until level 37 so you can get all three moves first.