Yeah, I did the bowl thing too (or rather I used a cup), and just simmered the water rather than boiling it so it didn't move much. Before I tried the swirling thing anyway, which must have been the crucial mistake. This supposed vortex formation that was to help wrapping the white around the yolk didn't work at all. The only other thing it could have been was that my egg wasn't very fresh as the instructions recommended for poaching but had been in my fridge for a bit.