Passage Report No. 94

Gota Canal - Mem to Soderkoping

Anchored off, Skipper rows into Mem, the small, narrrow, entry harbour for the Gota Canal.

A SW'ly pins Sahula to the harbour wall. Locals, tourists sunbake alongside.

Skipper observes lock processes. Locks are "manned" by helpful students. Bow and stern lines to top steel rings through blocs aboard to cockpit winches. Tension is maintained whether up or down locks.

Sahula is ready, months of planning, fees (7010 SEK - Gota Canal; 880 SEK - Trollhatte Canal, all inclusive: facilities, laundry, electricity over 5 nights in 21 "canal" marinas) paid, but...an email...crew claims a funds issue.

"...I can only afford the Gota Canal... a week...I have house expenses, rates, renovations..." Sahula faces extra costs and a skipper being solo to Gothenburg.

Swede sailors offer to crew, three locks, Mem to Soderkoping. Skipper, grateful, determines to continue.

Crew may board there. A crew stepping aboard, is a "crew!"

"Diana," passenger boat (Stockholm to Lake Vanern) enters, inches forward, "inches" from the lock gate.

"...maybe she was built in a lock..

Conceived in the 16th century, as a way of avoiding Danish taxes on ships passing Copenhagen, the Gota Canal was constructed between 1810-32, dug (87 km) by 58,000 Swede soldiers (some Russian war prisoners, who opted to remain), the 190 km's slices through scenic, southern Sweden from Mem to Lake Vanern (Sweden's largest lake), rising to 91 m, in 58 locks, channels and lakes, requirng 6-7 transit days.

Mem marina (full facilities) is after the first lock. Fuel is at the outer harbour wall.

Locks are small and turbulent (on rising).

"...they are old..." The oldest, in use, is 1914.

Sahula enters behind (less turbulence) a mahogany yacht, rises, exits into a green, peaceful canyon, 3m depth (middle) - yachts pass.

"...you are here at a good time, holidays are nearly over..." (first week August)

Two locks and Sahula moors to Soderkoping (" - chirping!") quay, crowded with summers day tourists.

"... you are from Australia... I have been to Townsville...so far..."

"...Soderkoping is famous for icecream...a pink building, 200m..." A long queue "...they queue for hours..."

Skipper's insatiable icecream obsession is well satisfied elsewhere.

Tourists dance the night away.

In the evening cool, fading light, a walk in the forest.

Founded in the 11th century, Soderkoping, by the 12th century, was one of Swedens most important, harbour, Hansa, trading, towns (Stockholm, Kalmar, Visby).

Olaf Lilja's superb tenor (with piano, organ) resonates in the perfect accoustics of the 12th century arches of St Laurentii Kyrka - Soderkoping's oldest church and bell tower.

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Ancient, pastel, wooden houses leaning over narrow cobbled streets surround the church. Vibrantly coloured flowers adorn garden pots and plots

Yachts come and go in an everlasting tide through the canal.

"Orplid" is here. A french motor yacht (Paris), she and Sahula met in northern Norway, summer 2012. "Sundowners," - German wine - gathered many tales.

Lars, a local doctor, offers to drive Skipper to Noorkoping to meet crew arriving by train from Stockholm and return.

Next Report: Soderkoping to Lake Vanern

Best

David

7/8/13