Would it be possible to get the water breathing of storm giants changed to an inherent like arial fly so that you can toggle it on and off? I'd happily carry a damn boat if it means I won't wander into the damn whirlpool and die. Looking before every step is not an option for me.

As long as you don't have brief descriptions on you should be able to see in which direction the whirlpool is in. It's typically in the last line of the desc: The roaring sound of a whirlpool lies to the east.