A laboratory simulation of the spiral eddies viewed from the space shuttle Challenger on the STS 41-G mission was constructed. The construction allowed for collection of quantitative data coincident with the recording of any surface structure on polaroid film. A spiral flow was introduced into a test region, and the spiral nature of the flow verified by the plot of horizontal current velocity measurements. No manifestation of this flow, however, was evident on the water's surface. The unexpected results of the laboratory simulation provided the stimulus for a more in-depth study of the actual environmental conditions surrounding the presence of spiral eddies in the Levantine. Examination of the bathymetry revealed a direct relation between the generation and dissipation of spiral eddies, and the depth of the basin. Rotational motion of the eddies in this region is governed by the conservation of angular momentum.