What did Charybdis do in The Odyssey, and how did it impact Odysseus and his crew?

In The Odyssey, Charybdis was a sea monster that created a whirlpool three times a day, swallowing everything in its path. When Odysseus and his crew encountered Charybdis, they narrowly escaped being sucked into the whirlpool. However, in doing so, they lost some of their men and their ship was damaged, making their journey even more perilous.