MV Dirona travel digest for Gota Canal 2019

Position: 59°19.44'N, 18°5.50'E

Departing Wasahamnen in Stockholm, our home for the past the five weeks.

Position: 59°19.03'N, 18°6.21'E

Gamla Stan, Stockholm's old town, viewed shortly past 6am.

Position: 59°19.03'N, 18°6.21'E

One last look to the cliffs on the island of Sodermalm as we leave for the Gota Canal.

Position: 59°19.01'N, 18°6.42'E

The huge passenger walkway for the Viking Line ferries that dock at Stadsgarden.

Position: 59°18.96'N, 18°6.51'E

The Viking Grace arriving into Stockholm at 6:15 on an overnight run from Turku, Finland. This is the ship with the rotor sail.

Position: 59°18.96'N, 18°6.51'E

The Seagas, the world's first LNG fueling vessel, readying to refuel the Viking Grace.

Position: 59°18.77'N, 18°6.19'E

Passing through Danvikskanalen en route to Lake Malaren. The canal was completed in 1929 to provide a larger route for ships compared to the 1850-built Nils Ericson's lock off Gamla Stan. We've already passed through twice in the tender, but it was still fun to see it again from a different perspective.

Position: 59°18.27'N, 18°5.08'E

Passing through the district of Hammarbyhamnen, on either side of Danvikskanalen, with Hammarbyslussen visible in the distance.

Position: 59°18.23'N, 18°4.89'E

We'd arrived for the opening of Hammarbyslussen, at 6:30am, and the gates opened for us as we approached.

Position: 59°18.21'N, 18°4.74'E

Tied of with a single line to the wall as we ascend in Hammarbyslussen.

Position: 59°18.21'N, 18°4.74'E

The gates opening for Dirona to enter Lake Malaren. The lake is the 3rd largest in Sweden and is 64 nm long from east to west. We'll only be passing through a portion of it as a shortcut to the Gota Canal.

Position: 59°18.16'N, 18°4.34'E

The old lock control building for Hammarbyslussen. The locks now are run from a large control tower high above the lock.

Position: 59°18.30'N, 18°2.94'E

A swimmer swimming alongside the channel, marked with a buoy. This swimmer is wearing a wetsuit, but in the warmer part of the day swimmers are common wearing just bathing suits.

Position: 59°18.38'N, 18°2.36'E

About to pass under the Arstabroarna (the Arsta bridges), two parallel railway viaducts that connect mainland Stockholm to the island of Sodermalm. The closest bridge has been in operation since 1929 and was the longest bridge in Sweden when completed. The second bridge behind was completed in 2005.

Position: 59°18.89'N, 18°1.71'E

Another of the items we brought back with us from Seattle was a Milwaukee Wet/Dry vacuum, and a spare. We use the vacuums for a variety of task, including inflating/deflating our inflatable fenders, cleaning the engine room, and cleaning up liquid spills. Our previous Dewalt wet/dry had failed due to bearing corrosion and that model is no longer available so we had to try a new design. The Milwaukee ends up being a step up. It's more space efficient, easy to move quickly through the boat without bumping things, appears equivalent in ability to both inflate and vacuum with only downside being slightly less liquid capacity.

Position: 59°16.12'N, 17°50.93'E

Two ferries at the busy Jungfrusund Farjelage terminal. These two and a third ferry were constantly making the crossing to Slagsta Farjelage as we approached.

Position: 59°16.12'N, 17°42.60'E

Wonderful complex built into the cliff on the island of Kanan.

Position: 59°12.21'N, 17°37.47'E

The massive Astra Zeneca facility at Sodertalje. The British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company was founded here in 1913 and this is their largest global production and supply site, employing about 3,500.

Position: 59°11.85'N, 17°37.82'E

About to pass under the E20 highway. The Scania manufacturing plant that we visited a few weeks ago is directly to our south.

Position: 59°11.70'N, 17°37.89'E

The Sodertalje Lock is open every half-hour for pleasure craft—here we are moored with two other pleasure on the jetty waiting for a green light on the Sodertalje Lock. Payment is due on exit from Lake Malaren—while waiting we purchased our transit ticket through the silver kiosk at right. The cost was 200SEK (20 USD).

Position: 59°11.55'N, 17°37.93'E

The 442-ft (135m) Sodertalje Lock isn't much bigger than the 377-ft (115m) Hammarbyslussen we went through earlier this morning to enter Lake Malaren, but it felt much larger. The two other boats in the lock with us are way behind us.

Position: 59°11.55'N, 17°37.93'E

Jennifer tending the line as we drop 2 feet (0.6m) to reach the Baltic sea level.

Position: 59°11.34'N, 17°38.02'E

Only two other boats rode through the lock with us, but over a dozen were waiting on the other side to enter Lake Malaren. As soon as the lock doors opened, they all rushed to get inside. In the photo you can see the other boats still trying to exit while the flood of boats enter against them.

Position: 59°10.37'N, 17°39.79'E

Soderenergi's combined heat and power plant at Igelsta in Sodertalje is the second largest bio-powered, heating and power plant in Sweden. It annually produces 1400 GWh of heat and 550 GWh of electricity.

Position: 59°9.82'N, 17°40.00'E

Ro/Ro offloading and storage facility at the Port of Sodertalje.

Position: 58°58.32'N, 17°43.31'E

Townhouses built in a former stone quarry on the island of Oaxen. The small buildings in front of each are saunas.

Position: 58°45.92'N, 17°28.54'E

Opposing traffic under sail as we pass through the narrows at Savsundet.

Position: 58°45.93'N, 17°28.38'E

Fabulous sunroom and beautifully maintained buildings in this summer home complex on the island of Savo off Savsundet.

Position: 58°40.30'N, 17°13.68'E

We'd settled into an anchorage for the night off the anchorage of Mellskaren and were just about to start making dinner when our navigation computer lost power. The APC Back-UPS ES 750 that we use to provide protect the computer from power loss and voltage surges had suddenly dropped the load.

Things were looking pretty bleak when the computer wouldn't come back up—it just hung on the Lenovo splash screen. Eventually, on something like the third or fourth attempt, it finally booted up. We're not sure what caused it to hang or why it came back, but we were very happy to see Windows come up.

Everything seemed to be working except the MariaDB database we use to store all our boat telemetry was corrupted in the sudden power failure and we couldn't even start the MariaDB service. Power faults should never cause a database corruption, but we managed to find a bug. It's a hassle to recover a database from corruption and it's annoying that the "power failure" was in fact only the UPS failing. James replaced the UPS with a spare while Jennifer recovered the MariaDB database.

Position: 58°26.58'N, 16°36.03'E

Construction of Stegeborg Castle began in the 13th-century to protect the approach to the nearby city of Soderkoping and it was a Royal castle until the 17th century. Today the castle is a popular tourist attraction and has a 400-berth marina that looked fairly full as we passed.

Position: 58°26.58'N, 16°35.80'E

The cable ferry Elvira runs the narrow channel across to Stegeborg Castle.

Position: 58°28.74'N, 16°25.24'E

Approaching Mem and the eastern end of the Gota Canal.

Position: 58°28.76'N, 16°25.11'E

Moored at Mem prior to entering the Gota Canal.

Position: 58°28.76'N, 16°25.12'E

Jennifer in the canal office purchasing our ticket for the Gota Canal. The 120-mile (190km) long Gota Canal, together with the Trolhhatte Canal, forms a 382-mile (614km) waterway stretching across southern Sweden. The cost for a 16.5m boat is 10,503 SEK (1,100 USD), which takes us from Mem to Sjotorp. This includes 5 nights at each of the 21 marinas along the way. We also purchased a ticket through the Trolhhatte Canal for 1,000 SEK (105USD), that will bring us back out to the Baltic at Goteburg.

Position: 58°28.76'N, 16°25.11'E

Ready to go at the Gota Canal office after purchasing our ticket. The Gota Canal was completed in 1832 and is a sister canal to the Caledonian Canal in Scotland that we transited in 2017, as both were built by Scottish civil engineer Thomas Telford. The 120-mile (190km) canal took 22 years to build using 58,000 workers, has 58 locks and 48 bridges, and rises 301ft (91.8m) above sea level.

Position: 58°28.75'N, 16°25.04'E

Dirona entering Mem Lock, the first of the 58 Gota Canal locks we'll pass through.

Position: 58°28.74'N, 16°25.00'E

The maximum boat dimensions for a boat to pass through the Gota Canal is 98.4ft (30m) long, 23 ft (7m) wide and 9.25 ft (2.82m) deep, with an air draft limit of 72ft (22m). We're fine with a 54 ft (16.5m) length, but with a 16.4ft (5m) beam and 6.6ft (2m) draft, it feels a little tight in the other dimensions.

Position: 58°28.74'N, 16°25.00'E

The water level rising in the Mem Lock to bring us up 9.8ft (3m).

Position: 58°28.74'N, 16°24.93'E

The gates open at the top of the Mem lock and we're ready to enter the Gota Canal.

Position: 58°28.53'N, 16°24.34'E

James navigating through the narrow canal. We need to stay in the center, partly for depth and partly because the "bank effect" will suck us hard over into the side of the canal if we get too near. The bank effect is the tendency for ship's stern to be pulled toward the nearest bank due to pressure differentials (Bernoulli’s principle).

Position: 58°28.83'N, 16°22.28'E

Looking behind as we transit the Gota Canal. It's really beautiful—we're having a great time.

Position: 58°28.88'N, 16°20.94'E

Approaching the second Gota Canal lock, the Tegelbruket lock, that will bring us up another 7.5ft (2.3m).

Position: 58°28.88'N, 16°20.90'E

James bringing Dirona into the Tegelbruket Lock. The locks we've been through have ranged from "full-service", such as the Saimaa Canal in Finland, where you tie the boat off to a floating pontoon or mooring point and the lock is operated hydraulically by the lock keepers, to "full-manual", such as the Crinan Canal in Scotland, where boaters operate the locks and sluices themselves and tend lines attached to a fixed point on shore.

The Gota Canal is similar to Scotland's Caledonian Canal, where the locks are operated hydraulically, but you need to tend lines attached to a fixed point on shore. A major difference is that in the Caledonian Canal the canal workers attach your lines to shore. In the Gota Canal, the canal workers don't help with the lines so someone needs to go ashore to attach and tend them.

Position: 58°28.88'N, 16°20.90'E

The Gota Canal locks all have small docks on either end to drop someone off to handle lines. But in all but the highest locks, Jennifer can get off inside the lock from the boat deck and James can toss the stern line up that we loop back down to the boat. Then Jennifer grabs a bow line and tends it as we rise in the lock. The process is not difficult, but does require good teamwork and communication. The canal is known as the "divorce ditch" due to the troubles some couples face in navigating the 58 locks.

Position: 58°28.89'N, 16°20.55'E

Spitfire doesn't find navigating in the tight quarters of the Gota Canal locks stressful at all.

Position: 58°28.89'N, 16°20.10'E

Passing a large Princess powerboat heading east.

Position: 58°28.89'N, 16°19.65'E

The lower harbour at Soderkoping. The space at the far end is reserved for commercial boats, and recreational boats can moor in the area this side of the large canal boat.

Position: 58°28.94'N, 16°19.52'E

James talking to the lock-keeper as we rise 7.9ft (2.4m) in the Soderkoping Lock.

Position: 58°28.97'N, 16°19.37'E

Moored for the night at Soderkoping, 25.3ft (7.7m) above sea level.

Position: 58°28.97'N, 16°19.37'E

The good news is that shorepower is included with the Gota Canal ticket, the bad news is they use a 6-amp service. Previous to this we've never seen less than 8-amp service. 6 amps isn't enough to power our 1800-watt hairdryer.

Position: 58°28.95'N, 16°19.37'E

A great lunch canal-side at Kanalkrogen in Soderkoping with Dirona visible behind us.

Position: 58°28.94'N, 16°19.50'E

Statue of a canal worker opening a manual lock gate.

Position: 58°29.00'N, 16°19.49'E

Great view from (70m) Ramunderberget to our berth along the canal and Soderkoping in the background.

Position: 58°29.01'N, 16°19.47'E

The ice-cream shop Smultronstallet in Soderkoping must have amazingly good ice-cream—the wait for a table is usually is about an hour in the summer. Here you can see about two-restaurant's full of patrons lined up, waiting.

Position: 58°29.03'N, 16°19.30'E

Rabbit crossing sign along the canal, surprisingly in English only.

Position: 58°29.03'N, 16°19.30'E

The rabbit crossing sign is for the artwork "Rabbit Crossing" by Swedish sculptor Eva Fornaa. Here the rabbits are jumping from the north side of the canal to cross to the south side.

Position: 58°29.01'N, 16°19.25'E

At the south side of the rabbit crossing, the rabbits already across are helping their comrades from the water. This portion of the statue looks very much like the rabbit statue at Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, but we can't find any connection between the two.

Position: 58°28.91'N, 16°19.25'E

Radhustorget, Soderkoping's town square, with the 18th-century Town Hall on the left.

Position: 58°28.82'N, 16°19.17'E

The original parish church in Soderkoping was erected in the 12th century, but burned down in the 14th and the current church was inaugurated in 1497.

Position: 58°28.82'N, 16°19.17'E

The floor of Saint Laurentii Church is covered with ancient tombstones. This unique sculpted one is for the Swedish knight Goran Eriksson, who died in 1575.

Position: 58°28.97'N, 16°19.38'E

Back at Dirona, this sailboater is (thankfully) very carefully easying into a spot in front of us that is about 10 feet shorter than his boat. What's surprising is that they worked at it for close to ten minutes before giving up and taking the 90-foot spot behind us.

Position: 58°28.87'N, 16°19.71'E

An excellent meal canal-side at La Uva Tapas, where we enjoyed speaking with the enthusiastic and entertaining owner. We'd ordered the house white, 42 by Eneko Atxa, which we didn't recognize but sounded excellent in the description. Since the house wine usually is sold in greater volume, it's typically good value, whereas this was the most expensive on the wine list. It kind of caught our interest so we decided to try it.

The owner was pleased with our choice and told us about the award this wine had recently won. And the reason this wine was the "house wine" is because it's excellent. He also said that he marks up all wines, regardless of cost, by the same fixed amount, so "the people who buy the cheap wine pay for those who buy the good wine" :).

The wine was delicious, in fact so much so we looked it up. In May of 2019, 42 by Eneko Atxa beat 9,149 other wines from 46 countries to win best international white wine.

Position: 58°28.94'N, 16°19.48'E

The line-up at Smultronstallet was gone, so Jennifer got an ice cream on the way home. It was particularly good, but we have no idea how people can wait an hour for ice cream.

Position: 58°28.97'N, 16°19.37'E

Enjoying the last of our first evening along the Gota Canal from the cockpit.

Position: 58°28.97'N, 16°19.37'E

Morning calm along the Gota Canal in Soderkoping.

Position: 58°29.30'N, 16°18.67'E

On a jetty just west of Soderkoping, waiting for the 9am opening of the E22 bridge. The Gota Canal locks and bridges generally operate throughout the day between 9am and 6pm. The E22 bridge is one of three that only on the half-hour. We departed Soderkoping at 8:30am, just after the boat visible on the dock with us, to hit the 9am opening.

Position: 58°29.31'N, 16°18.67'E

Several other boats arriving from Soderkoping for the 9am bridge opening.

Position: 58°29.31'N, 16°18.66'E

Passing through the E22 bridge.

Position: 58°29.43'N, 16°18.24'E

One of the many camper parks along the Gota Canal. Camper vans are very popular here.

Position: 58°29.43'N, 16°18.24'E

A marine service center in a dry-dock off the canal.

Position: 58°29.47'N, 16°18.08'E

Feeding the ducks along the canal.

Position: 58°29.52'N, 16°17.86'E

The lock keepers at the first lock of the day, the Duvkullen Lower Lock, asking the dimensions of boat ahead to ensure both will fit in the lock. The locks are 30m long, so with our 16.5m length, that leaves 14.5m maximum ahead.

Position: 58°29.54'N, 16°17.74'E

Jennifer tending the bow line while talking to the lock keeper as we rise up 2.3m in the Duvkullen Lower Lock. The locking instructions call for the stern line to be tied off, and since the stern lines stays the same length the boat moves forward slightly in the lock current. The boat ahead has done the same, so both boats will move forward together as the water rises.

Position: 58°29.68'N, 16°17.38'E

Rising 2.4 meters in the Duvkullen Lower Lock.

Position: 58°29.79'N, 16°17.03'E

Looking forward to the next set of four locks as we enter the Mariehov Lower Lock. It's not quite a staircase, but close.

Position: 58°29.79'N, 16°17.00'E

Rising 2.1 meters in the Mariehov Lower Lock with the water covered with foam from the strength of the flow into the lock. Normally pleasure craft are required to keep their engine off during locking, but we were allowed to keep ours on for hydraulic power to the thrusters so we can keep the boat in position against the current. The commercial boats do the same, although they normally choose to just bounce of the lock walls and don't worry about it since the mostly fill the space.

Position: 58°29.80'N, 16°16.66'E

Exiting the Mariehov Upper Lock after a rise of 2.6 meters. Jennifer walked ahead to take the lines at the next lock.

Position: 58°29.80'N, 16°16.46'E

The Carlsborg Lower Lock is a double lock with a rise of 5.1m. Here we have risen to the top of the bottom lock and will proceed directly into the next lock.

Position: 58°29.81'N, 16°16.46'E

Looking back to the boats behind us rising in the Mariehov Upper Lock.

Position: 58°29.81'N, 16°16.12'E

Tending the bow line at the top of the Carlsborg Upper Lock, another double lock, with a rise of 4.7m. We carry 2 50-ft 1/2-inch lines that have worked well through most of the locks we've passed through, ranging from the Ballard locks in Seattle, to the Crinan and Caledonian Canals in Scotland, to here in the Gota Canal. They are light enough that we can easily toss them up from the boat to a lock edge, but still just strong enough to hold the boat. In the larger commercial locks where we can only reach one attachment point, we typically use a heavier line 3/4- or 1-inch mooring line.

Position: 58°29.89'N, 16°15.69'E

Passing through the Vannegerga Bridge. The bridges are all operated remotely from a control station at nearby lock and generally open as soon as we are within visible range of their cameras.

Position: 58°29.94'N, 16°15.45'E

Much of the Gota Canal passes through agricultural areas.

Position: 58°29.70'N, 16°14.12'E

Another pleasure craft stopped on the jetty before the Lodby Bridge as we're about to pass through.

Position: 58°29.61'N, 16°12.10'E

Approaching the Klamman Lock, the ninth and final lock of the day. This one is used to regulate water levels with Asplangen Lake to the west, and has little rise.

Position: 58°29.88'N, 16°10.84'E

Bicycle paths run the length of the Gota Canal and we frequently see cyclists as we travel. We're running at the 5-knot speed limit and the bikes frequently pass us. At our speed, even the more fit joggers can pass us too. :)

Position: 58°29.89'N, 16°10.11'E

Passing through our fourth and final bridge of the day at Snovelstorp before entering Asplangen Lake.

Position: 58°30.05'N, 16°6.98'E

When in the locks, James uses a Yacht Controller system to remotely control the thrusters and keep us in position. We'd change the batteries before starting through the then locks this morning, but wouldn't you know it, the remote failed partway through the series. After several battery changes, we were expecting that the system was toast, but it started working again on the fourth set.

Position: 58°30.05'N, 16°6.98'E

A relaxing dinner anchored in Asplangen Lake after a busy day of ten locks and four bridges. Today we rose 63ft (19.2m) and are now at 88.3ft (26.9m) above sea level. Anchoring isn't allowed in the canal itself, but is in the various lakes between the dug canals.

Position: 58°30.05'N, 16°6.98'E

Diana crossing Asplangen Lake, viewed from our anchorage. Tour boats such as these are the only commercial traffic in the canal—no cargo or industrial traffic passes through.

Position: 52°23.06'N, 4°53.64'E

When we were in Amsterdam, Laurens van Zijp interviewed us forMotorboot magazine. The article was published over the summer and we've posted it here. A rough English translation through Google Translate is here.

Position: 58°30.06'N, 16°7.00'E

A foggy morning on Asplangen Lake.

Position: 58°30.06'N, 16°6.98'E

James testing the backup UPS batteryafter charging it to ensure it's still meeting specs.

Position: 58°30.28'N, 16°4.99'E

Entering the Hulta Lock at the west end of Asplangen Lake.

Position: 58°30.28'N, 16°4.99'E

The lock keeper riding the Hulta Lock gate as they close behind us.

Position: 58°30.28'N, 16°4.99'E

Water pouring into the Hulta Lock to bring us up 10.5ft (3.2m). Since we're alone in the lock, the lock keeper allowed a much stronger flow than yesterday.

Position: 58°30.51'N, 16°1.95'E

James keeping an eye on the boat as we pass through the Bradtom lock with a 7.5ft (2.3m) rise.

Position: 58°30.57'N, 16°1.04'E

Nearing the Bjornavad Bridge in wonderfully calm conditions. We're really enjoying our run along the Gota Canal.

Position: 58°30.57'N, 16°1.04'E

The Gota Canal bridges are operated remotely from nearby locks, but in the past had resident bridge keepers who lived on-site since the canal was open 24/7. All along the canal, the old bridge and lock keepers homes are now wonderfully kept by the current residents. Presumably they are required to keep the color scheme and the name, as they all do.

Position: 58°30.57'N, 16°1.04'E

Passing through the Brjornad Bridge. A 5m beam in a 7m channel sounds fine, but it feels awfully tight at the help.

Position: 58°30.51'N, 15°58.86'E

The Norsholm Highway 215 Bridge open for us to pass through.

Position: 58°30.46'N, 15°58.72'E

A few boats moored at Norsholm Gasthamn. We're getting to the end of the busy season now, so there's generally plenty of space at the marinas and relatively few boats underway.

Position: 58°30.41'N, 15°58.49'E

Churning up mud as we get close to the shoreline waiting to enter the Norsholm Lock.

Position: 58°30.42'N, 15°58.37'E

The bridge open for us to enter the Norshholm lock. This lock has a road bridge at the east end and a railway bridge at the other.

Position: 58°30.42'N, 15°58.36'E

After the Norsholm Lock filled, we had to wait about another 15 minutes for a couple of trains to pass before the railway bridge could be opened for us to exit the lock. The trains went by so fast that if we weren't ready to take a picture, they were gone. 

Position: 58°30.43'N, 15°58.22'E

Boats moored along the shore of the channel to Roxen Lake.

Position: 58°30.52'N, 15°57.93'E

Large estate on the shores of Roxen Lake.

Position: 58°29.19'N, 15°32.60'E

Moored at Berg at the bottom of the Carl Johan Flight of locks. At least two boats are ahead of us, so we decided to overnight at the bottom and run the tender over to explore the Kinda Canal at the south end of Roxen Lake. We only passed through 3 locks today with a total gain of 20.7ft (6.3m) and now are at 108.9 ft (33.2m) above sea level.

Position: 58°29.13'N, 15°32.68'E

Looking up the Carl Johan flight from the tender. The flight of seven locks joined together have a total rise of 61.7ft (18.8m) and is the longest flight in the Gota Canal. And directly beyond are two sets of double locks, for effectively eleven in a row. We'll be taking that on tomorrow morning.

Position: 58°29.10'N, 15°32.76'E

The figure of a pedestrian just offshore from the Carl Johan flight

Position: 58°26.73'N, 15°37.40'E

A happy Jennifer entering the Kinda Canal, southwest of Berg.

Position: 58°26.29'N, 15°37.50'E

Nicely-kept cottages along the Kinda Canal.

Position: 58°25.59'N, 15°37.74'E

We barely had enough water to run the tender through the channel to this small boat basin off the Kinda Canal.

Position: 58°25.29'N, 15°37.83'E

The tender moored at the Kinda Canal jetty in Linkoping.

Position: 58°25.30'N, 15°37.83'E

Our initial plan was to take the Kinda Canal a few miles upstream through the first three locks. The locks are supposed to be open from 9am-7pm with a one-hour lunch break between noon and 1pm. But the lock keeper said he was taking a late lunch and might not be back until 3pm. That made our tender trip up the locks impractical and we decided to explore Linkoping instead.

Position: 58°25.21'N, 15°37.90'E

Fountain just upstream of the first Kinda Canal lock.

Position: 58°25.23'N, 15°37.94'E

We'd walked across a pond on pedestrian bridge that ended a few feet from the other side. We didn't feel like retracing our steps, so carefully made our way across using two beams.

Position: 58°25.26'N, 15°37.93'E

Large turbine from the old power station that used to operate here.

Position: 58°24.69'N, 15°37.47'E

Linkoping has been inhabited since the Iron Age. It was a marketplace in the middle ages and became the religious center for the region in the 1100s, with a bishop installed in 1120. Sankt Lars Kyrka dates from the early 12th century.

Position: 58°24.66'N, 15°37.27'E

Stor Torget, Linkoping's main square, is lined with cafes and shops.

Position: 58°24.64'N, 15°37.28'E

Statue in Stor Torget of Folke Filbyter, the 11th-century progenitor of the House of Bjelbo, that produced several medieval Swedish bishops and kings.

Position: 58°24.66'N, 15°36.96'E

Spectacular Linkoping Cathedral was founded in the 13th century on the site where a wooden church was built in the 1100s.

Position: 58°24.66'N, 15°36.96'E

The fabulous ornate pulpit in Linkoping Cathedral.

Position: 58°24.68'N, 15°37.09'E

Statue of a pilgrim resting in Linkoping Cathedral.

Position: 58°24.65'N, 15°37.05'E

The Linkoping fire department was doing a training exercise outside Linkoping Cathedral with their well-equipped Scania fire truck. We spent ages watching them and later chatting with the crew.

Position: 58°24.72'N, 15°36.79'E

17th-century buildings along Hunnebergsgatan in Linkoping.

Position: 58°24.70'N, 15°37.34'E

Looking west along restaurant-lined Agatan to Linkoping Cathedral.

Position: 58°24.97'N, 15°37.52'E

Linkoping central train station opened in 1872.

Position: 58°25.30'N, 15°37.84'E

The lock doors were open, so we ran the tender into the first Kinda Canal lock before departing the area. The canal 56-mile (90km) has 15 locks with a combined elevation of 164ft (50m). When completed in 1872, the canal was mainly used to transport construction material. Today its primary use is tourism. The maximum dimensions for a boat to pass through the canal is 80 ft (24.5m) long and 14.75ft (4.5m) wide with a 4.9ft (1.5m) water draft and a 10.1ft (3.09m) air draft. Dirona only passes on the length dimension, but the tender would have been perfect.

Position: 58°25.54'N, 15°37.73'E

On the way back from the Kinda Canal, the engine was struggling to carry us much faster than 25 kts and was slow getting on plane. We stopped and found the prop fouled with a waste plastic bag.

Position: 58°29.19'N, 15°32.50'E

The Gota Canal locks are full of close quarters operation and most boats are well-fendered, but its impossible to have enough fenders to avoid all possibilities of contact. In this video, you can see the rafted boats in front of us having some trouble maneuvering, and fending off to avoid contact with Dirona. We don't think any damage was taken here, but this is one of the reasons why boats tend to pick up small nicks and dings even if the operators are careful to avoid contact.

Position: 58°29.24'N, 15°32.35'E

Looking down from partway up Carl Johan Flight to Dirona moored at the bottom.

Position: 58°29.15'N, 15°31.54'E

The tour boat Wasa Lejon makes day cruises between the top of the Carl Johan Flight west through the canal to Borensburg. Here is it returning to its berth at Berg through the lower chamber of the double lock Berg lock.

Position: 58°29.15'N, 15°31.84'E

Water pouring into the lower chamber of the Oscar double lock as the Wasa Lejon continues descending to the basin above the Carl Johan lock flight.

Position: 58°29.15'N, 15°31.57'E

We finished the day with an enjoyable meal canal-side at Kanalkrogen Delimo in Berg.

Position: 58°29.19'N, 15°32.50'E

Beautiful sunrise over Roxen Lake.

Position: 58°29.19'N, 15°32.50'E

A pair of boats locking down through the Carl Johan locks. The lock masters plan to bring two sets of boats down, then it will be our turn to take the trip up.

Position: 58°29.19'N, 15°32.50'E

Waiting at the bottom of the Carl Johan locks for our turn.

Position: 58°29.19'N, 15°32.53'E

Entering the first of the seven joined locks in the Carl Johan flight, the largest flight in the Gota Canal. We'll rise a total of 61.7ft (18.8m).

Position: 58°29.18'N, 15°32.48'E

View from the lock gate of Dirona and another boat entering the bottom lock. Jennifer walked up from our berth and James will toss her the stern and bow lines once the boat is against the wall in the lock.

Position: 58°29.18'N, 15°32.36'E

Partway up the seven locks in the Carl Johan flight. The process was time-consuming, but not difficult. Jennifer walked the stern line between each lock and passed the end down to James to secure it, then ran the bow line through a ring to tend it on the way up.

Position: 58°29.17'N, 15°32.22'E

Another group of boats locking up the Carl Johan flight behind us.

Position: 58°29.16'N, 15°32.02'E

Approaching the Oscar double lock in the other side of the basin at the top of the Carl Johan flight. A large pleasure craft basin is at the top of the Carl Johan flight and most boats stop there on the way up or down, as did the sailboat that locked through the flight with us. Since we'd already spent a night in the area, we decided to continue on.

Position: 58°29.15'N, 15°31.80'E

Rising in the upper Oscar Lock. After this locking, we'll have gone up another 15.7ft (4.8m).

Position: 58°29.14'N, 15°31.55'E

The Berg double lock is immediately after the Oscar locks with a rise of 18ft (5.5m). Here we're in the upper lock.

Position: 58°29.24'N, 15°30.94'E

The Brunnby Lock is another double lock a short distance beyond the Berg Locks with a rise of 17.4ft (5.3m).

Position: 58°29.62'N, 15°31.04'E

Approaching the Heda Lock, our 15th and final set of locks for the day with a rise of 17.1ft (5.2m).

Position: 58°30.12'N, 15°30.37'E

Ljungsbro Aqueduct, the first of two aqueducts in the Gota Canal. This is the second aqueduct Dirona has passed through—the first was off Enkhuizen in The Netherlands.

Position: 58°30.31'N, 15°30.00'E

We stopped for the night at a wonderfully-secluded small jetty to relax and enjoy the canal. Locking through isn't a physically tiring job, but it does require car and some concentration, and we were pretty tired at the end of the day. In total we passed through 15 locks today with a combined rise of 130 ft (39.6m). If felt like we'd risen as far as we'd travelled, as we covered only 3 miles in 3.1 hours.

Position: 58°30.31'N, 15°30.00'E

The day-cruise boat Wasa Lejon that we watched lock through yesterday passing us on its way to Berg.

Position: 58°30.31'N, 15°30.00'E

A lovely calm morning along the Gota Canal.

Position: 58°30.31'N, 15°30.00'E

Spitfire enjoying the view from the bow.

Position: 61°3.75'N, 28°11.22'E

Aleksi Vienonen, a journalist for Helsinki-based Venemestari magazine, came out to interview us while were in Lappeenranta near the end of our trip through the Saimaa Lakes. The published article in Finnish is here, and a rough English translation through Google translate is here.

Position: 58°30.31'N, 15°30.00'E

Lubing our bicycle chains and filling the tires with air before setting out for a bicycle ride. We really love having bikes aboard and those Giant FCR-2s have done really well over the past decade. We've replaced a lot of parts, but they've overall been very reliable and never have stranded us anywhere. They are lightweight and comfortable to ride long distance.

Position: 58°30.28'N, 15°30.05'E

Ready for our first bike ride along the Gota Canal.

Position: 58°29.11'N, 15°31.83'E

We rode the bikes back to Berg to visit the Canal Museum there, as we didn't have time the day before. This is one of several old lock doors on display outside the museum.

Position: 58°29.12'N, 15°31.85'E

The small Gota Canal Museum in Berg details the construction history of the canal and why it was built. We knew the canal would allow more direct transport of goods across the country, but the engineering project seemed so massive it was hard for us to believe the economic gains from the shorter distance justified the expense. The museum explained that a major influence was that during times of war, the Danes would blockade entirely the narrow Oresund channel between Sweden and Denmark, preventing ships from passing between the west and east coasts of Sweden or between the North Sea and Baltic. And in peace times, the Danes often levied heavy tolls. As a consequence, even at monumental expense, the Gota Canal made security and economic sense.

Position: 58°29.15'N, 15°31.57'E

Watching a boat lock through over lunch at Kanalkrogen Delimo in Berg.

Position: 58°29.15'N, 15°31.40'E

Monument to the 60,000 workers who built the Gota Canal between 1810 and 1832.

Position: 58°30.28'N, 15°30.41'E

Looking up to the Ljungsbro Aqueduct that we passed over yesterday.

Position: 58°30.29'N, 15°30.06'E

View to our wonderful berth along the Gota Canal near Ljungsbro as we pass heading west on the bikes.

Position: 58°30.75'N, 15°28.70'E

Cycling through the forest west of Ljungsbro.

Position: 58°31.27'N, 15°25.57'E

Amateur "crop circles" along the Gota Canal.

Position: 58°31.44'N, 15°27.08'E

Ljungs Kyrka (church) outside Ljungsbro was consecrated in 1797. The doors were locked, so we couldn't have a look inside.

Position: 58°31.65'N, 15°26.81'E

We stopped in to look at some farm equipment that caught our eye. Here Jennifer is standing next to a Stieger Cougar tractor with a Scania engine. The North Dakota-based US company has been producing tractors since the 1950s and have been one of the few successful mass producers of four-wheel drive tractors in the world. The tractor design has been licensed to a number of other companies and sold under different names over the years, including New Holland, Case International, Ford, Hungary-based RABA and Vandel of France.

Position: 58°31.65'N, 15°26.82'E

A John Deere 8R row-cropper tractor, made in Waterloo, Iowa.

Position: 58°31.65'N, 15°26.75'E

A wide Vaderstad cultivator hooked up to the John Deer 8R tractor. Wider farm implements are far more efficient, but of course, substantial horsepower will be required to tow this when it's dug deep into the earth. That's why its hitched up to a 9L, 8-wheel-drive John Deere.

Position: 58°31.68'N, 15°26.62'E

Ljungs Slott (castle) was erected in 1774. It is privately-owned, but open in the summer for visitors. Surprisingly, early August is beyond the end of the summer season and the castle is closed for the year.

Position: 58°30.31'N, 15°30.00'E

We arrived back to Dirona in time to see the Wasa Lejon returning to Berg on its daily run to Borensborg.

Position: 58°30.31'N, 15°30.00'E

Spitfire knows he's not allowed ashore, but can't resist the grass there. He says it's some of the best in Sweden. :)

Position: 58°30.31'N, 15°30.00'E

James opening his birthday presents—he turned 60 today. We celebrated his 50th in Hong Kong during our yard trip to China to see Dirona being built. What a wonderful adventure we've had in between.

Position: 58°30.31'N, 15°30.00'E

Birthday cards from friends and family to celebrate James' milestone 60th birthday.

Position: 58°30.36'N, 15°29.82'E

Looking back to the jetty we moored on for the past two nights. We'd moored starboard-to and had to turn back around to continue. We barely have room to turn in the narrow channel—you can see the mud we churned up on the left.

Position: 58°30.64'N, 15°29.48'E

Spitfire enjoying the cruise along the Gota Canal.

Position: 58°30.84'N, 15°27.90'E

Passing through a disused lock along the canal.

Position: 58°30.86'N, 15°26.71'E

Passing the MS Juno mid-channel. The Juno, launched from the Motala shipyard in 1874, is the world's oldest registered cruise ship (having overnight accommodations) and is pretty much "Gotamax" at 103.2ft (31.45m) long with a 22ft (6.68m) beam and an 8.9ft (2.72m) draft (the maximum published dimensions are 98.4ft (30m) long, 23 ft (7m) wide and 9.25 ft (2.82m)). Since we don't have much space to move over, so we had to pass pretty close. Note the ship's traditional log fenders.

Position: 58°30.92'N, 15°26.39'E

The narrow gap at a disused bridge along the canal.

Position: 58°31.29'N, 15°25.65'E

The Ljungs Vastra bridge opening as we approach. Generally the bridges open once we're near and we don't have much, if any, delay.

Position: 58°32.02'N, 15°23.49'E

The old bridge keeper's home at the Sjobacka Bridge.

Position: 58°32.46'N, 15°22.90'E

It seems very strange to be underway at the level of the roof line of houses beside us.

Position: 58°32.40'N, 15°21.78'E

The Ruda Bridge open for us to pass through.

Position: 58°32.16'N, 15°20.69'E

About to pass through the Sorby Bridge.

Position: 58°32.90'N, 15°19.70'E

Onlookers taking pictures as we approach the Kunns Norrby Bridge.

Position: 58°33.04'N, 15°19.29'E

Passing over the Kunns Norrby Aqueduct, the second of the two aqueducts along the Gota Canal.

Position: 58°33.22'N, 15°18.82'E

Tranquil scene at the Nas Bridge. On the right the bridge signal lights are showing red and white, indicating the bridge is in the process of opening.

Position: 58°33.22'N, 15°18.82'E

A meter on each side does not feel like much room as we pass through the Nas Bridge.

Position: 58°33.66'N, 15°17.30'E

Unique pavilion almost suspended over the canal at Vastanakroken in Borensberg. The passengers on Juno must almost be able to touch is as the ship passes.

Position: 58°33.60'N, 15°17.06'E

Approaching the Borensberg Lock, our first lock of the day.

Position: 58°33.59'N, 15°16.98'E

The Borensberg is one of two manual locks along the Gota Canal and is mainly used for water regulation with Boren Lake with a rise of 0.2m. The lock keepers will handle the gates and sluices, but Jennifer is helping out, partly for fun and partly to speed up our passage.

Position: 58°33.59'N, 15°16.98'E

The lock keeper opening up the sluices at the Borensberg lock.

Position: 58°33.59'N, 15°16.97'E

The Borensberg Bridge opening up so we can exit Borensberg lock into Boren Lake.

Position: 58°33.57'N, 15°16.87'E

Lots of space at the Gasthamn in Borensberg.

Position: 58°33.39'N, 15°4.88'E

Waiting at the west end of Boren Lake for our turn to enter the Borenshult Locks.

Position: 58°33.41'N, 15°4.88'E

The five-flight Borenshult Locks are the second biggest flight in the canal and have a rise of 50.2 ft (15.3 m). These two boats will pass through first, then it will be our turn.

Position: 58°33.39'N, 15°4.82'E

Jennifer tending the bow line as we rise through the Borenshult Locks.

Position: 58°33.37'N, 15°4.75'E

Partway up the Borenshult Locks. The banner on the brow reads "Happy 60th James". Jennifer managed to keep it a secret from James until we moored that night, and he was wondering how people along the way knew to wish him a Happy Birthday.

Position: 58°33.37'N, 15°4.75'E

When we're alone in the lock, the lock keepers seem to really let the water flow in hard.

Position: 58°32.81'N, 15°4.02'E

The lock keeper from the Borenshult Locks closing the manually-operated Treoresbron Bridge. This is how all the bridges would originally have been operated, but today its the only non-powered bridge on the canal.

Position: 58°32.75'N, 15°3.93'E

Monument to Otto Edvard Carlsund, who led Motala Verkstad from 1843 to 1870. Motala Verkstad is one of Sweden's oldest engineering companies and was created in 1822 by Gota Canal founder Baltzar von Platen to have local expertise available during canal construction. In addition to building various lock equipment, the company's output included over 400 vessels, 800 bridges and 1,300 locomotives.

Position: 58°32.56'N, 15°3.57'E

A green light indicating we can pass through the Charlottenborgsbron Bridge.

Position: 58°32.31'N, 15°3.28'E

The tomb of Gota canal founder Baltzar von Platen, who died in 1829, three years before the canal was completed in 1832.

Position: 58°32.07'N, 15°2.78'E

Looking back to an old, permanently-open railway bridge.

Position: 58°32.07'N, 15°2.75'E

Passing under the Motala Railway Bridge with the R50 road bridge visible just beyond and also open for us to pass.

Position: 58°32.07'N, 15°2.49'E

Our seventh and final lock of the day is the Motala Lock, another water control lock with a rise of only 0.1m.

Position: 58°32.04'N, 15°2.42'E

Docked along the wall at Motala at the east end of Vattern Lake. Today we passed through 13 bridges and 7 locks and rose 51.2 ft (15.6m). We're now at 290 ft (88.4m) above sea level.

Position: 58°32.07'N, 15°2.43'E

The Motala-based returning through the Motala lock from a day cruise to Borensberg with a load of passengers taking in the view from the bow.

Position: 58°32.06'N, 15°2.42'E

A 35-ton section of a 70-ton crankshaft produced at local Motala Verkstad in 1954. The company has been producing crankshafts since it was formed in 1822 during the Gota Canal construction, and in the 1970s was one of the world's leading producers of crankshafts for ships.

Position: 58°31.98'N, 15°2.28'E

Enjoying a drink on the terrace at the Hotell Nostalgie with a view to the canal and the Motala lock. Dirona is partially visible on the distance, moored on the wall on the other side of the canal (click image for a larger view). The large ship moored in front of us is the MS Wilhelm Tam.

Position: 58°31.98'N, 15°2.28'E

The MS Wilhelm Tam entering the Motala lock. The Wilhelm Tam was built in 1912 at local Motala Verkstad, where that big crankshaft and the MS Juno we saw earlier today was built.

Position: 58°32.04'N, 15°2.45'E

A great dinner canal-side at Hamnpiren GlassCafe & Bistro.

Position: 58°32.02'N, 15°2.40'E

Motala lit up in the morning sun, viewed from our berth.

Position: 58°32.02'N, 15°2.40'E

The Gota Canal Company headquarters. The company was established in 1810 when canal construction began and was privately held until the Swedish government took it over in 1978.

Position: 58°32.02'N, 15°2.40'E

James' "Happy 60th" banner looked small on the brow, but huge inside.

Position: 58°32.02'N, 15°2.40'E

Spitfire spent ages studing the ducks sleeping ashore and nearly blew a gasket when they all stood up together.

Position: 58°32.02'N, 15°2.39'E

The Gota Canal cruise boat Diana was launched in 1931 near Stockholm. This ship, the Juno and the Wilhelm Tam all are owned by Gota Kanal Rederi AB, founded in 1896.

Position: 58°32.02'N, 15°2.39'E

The fountain in the basin behind our berth in Motala looks wonderful lit up at night.

Position: 58°32.02'N, 15°2.39'E

The MS Diana departing this morning after overnighting on the wall in front of us at Motola.

Position: 58°31.85'N, 15°1.60'E

The 2034-ft (620 m) Motalabron (Motala Bridge) was completed in 2013.

Position: 58°26.79'N, 14°52.91'E

Dirona moored on the outer edge of the moat surrounding Vadstena Castle. This has to be the most unusual docking location we've ever had, in the shadow of a 16th-century castle.

Position: 58°26.79'N, 14°52.91'E

While in Amsterdam, we built a power adapter that takes 400V 16-amp three-phase power and yields two 240V 16-amp connections. It's nice to have power adapters to be able to make almost any shorepower system work.

Position: 58°26.78'N, 14°52.92'E

Another aspect of making a wide variety of shorepower systems work is having the cable reach to be able to get there. Here we are running 2 16-amp connections to a shore supply about 125ft away using our 4 75ft 16-amp shorepower cords.

In the distance you can see the marina has an extension available halfway between us and the shorepower pedestal, but the connection is for European Schuko plugs (which we have) and the extension in aggregate can only supply 16 amps and we want 2 16-amp feeds.

Position: 58°26.83'N, 14°53.29'E

Vadstena's old town is well-preserved, with most of the buildings dating from the 16th-18th centuries. This is looking north along Storgatan.

Position: 58°26.82'N, 14°53.25'E

A delicious lunch at Restaurang Wasa in Vadstena.

Position: 58°26.75'N, 14°52.98'E

In the courtyard of Vadstena Castle. The castle was built as a fortress in 1545, but soon converted into a palace. It was a Royal Palace until 1716 and is a notable example of Swedish Renaissance architecture.

Position: 58°26.76'N, 14°52.96'E

The cannon passage is one of the oldest parts of Vadstena Castle, dating to 1545. These original sandstone sculptures were on the ornamented outside ends of the castle, but were replaced by copies due to deterioration caused by weather and air pollution.

Position: 58°26.76'N, 14°52.96'E

One of the four rooms in the West Suite in Vadstena Castle, dating from the early 1600s with an original painted ceiling. Vadstena is one of the best-preserved castles from the 16th-century era of Gustav Vasa, when Sweden became Protestant.

Position: 58°26.76'N, 14°52.96'E

Looking down to our moat-moorage from inside Vadstena Castle.

Position: 58°26.76'N, 14°52.96'E

A wedding party was taking photographs at Vadstena Castle while we visited.

Position: 58°26.76'N, 14°52.96'E

Cutaway from the wall showing one of the original pillars initially used to support the ceiling in a part of the castle. They weren't strong enough, so more support was added and the columns were plastered over.

Position: 58°26.77'N, 14°52.88'E

Pretty much the entire time we were in Vadstena, dozens of people of all ages were fishing for crayfish in the moat using these baited traps.

Position: 58°26.70'N, 14°53.23'E

An extensive network of 891 mm narrow-gauge railway ran throughout the area in the 1800s. This roundhouse and railway turntable in Vadstena is a remnant of that era.

Position: 58°26.90'N, 14°53.49'E

Stora Torget, Vadstena's main square.

Position: 58°27.04'N, 14°53.51'E

The vaulted ceiling of Vadstena Klosterkyrka, consecrated in 1430. The monument in the foreground is to Duke Magnus, the son of King Gustav Vasa, who owned and lived in Vadstena castle.

Position: 58°27.04'N, 14°53.51'E

The wedding party we saw at Vadstena Castle was holding their ceremony at Vadstena Klosterkyrka when we stopped in. Note the amazingly detailed and ornate altarpiece in the background.

Position: 58°26.85'N, 14°53.31'E

We had a great dinner at Borgmestaren gastropub with a delicious bottle of Cabernet from Wines of Substance. Vadstena seemed an unlikely place to find a Washington State wine.

Position: 58°26.78'N, 14°52.92'E

The view to Vadstena Castle at night from our moorage in its moat.

Position: 58°26.80'N, 14°52.86'E

A final view to Vadstena Castle as we depart.

Position: 58°26.80'N, 14°52.86'E

Exiting the boat-lined fairway leading from Vadstena Gasthamn.

Position: 58°30.56'N, 14°42.66'E

Lake Vattern is the second largest lake in Sweden and the sixth largest in Europe and conditions can get rough when the wind is up. The wind is blowing 22 knots from the south and we're pitching 5.2° and rolling 10° in the beam waves.

Position: 58°32.23'N, 14°34.37'E

The view northwest to a portion of Karlsborg Fortress as we approach from the south. The fortress is vast, encompassing 250 acres (100 hectares) of land on the Vannas peninsula. We plan to visit by bicycle later today.

Position: 58°32.39'N, 14°30.77'E

We arrived at the Karlsborg Bridge shortly before the Gota Canal bridge and lock openings start at 9am and waited for a short time with another boat to pass through. Today is an easy one on the canal—we'll only pass through this one bridge, and no locks.

Position: 58°34.51'N, 14°26.15'E

Moored for the night on a lovely private berth at Forsvik. We've got the bikes out for a ride around the area, including a visit Karlsborg Fortress.

Position: 58°34.52'N, 14°26.12'E

Watching a boat lock through at Forsvik Lock near our berth. We'll be passing through tomorrow morning.

Position: 58°34.52'N, 14°26.12'E

Looking back from the Forsvik lock to Dirona moored at Forsvik Gasthamn. Most of the berths are on the left—we're on a smaller berth to the right. Power and water isn't available where we are, but the location is more private in a nicer park-like setting.

Position: 58°32.63'N, 14°26.62'E

On our bike ride to Karlsborg, we stopped at the ruins of Vaberget Fortress, completed in 1904 to protect Karlsborg Fortress from a land attack. We got a little expected rain on the way, so we're wearing rain gear.

Position: 58°32.63'N, 14°26.62'E

Vaberget Fortress consisted of two forts with three batteries each. Here we are exploring the north fort, a smaller copy of the main south fort.

Position: 58°32.07'N, 14°26.61'E

The larger Vaberget South Fort incorporated the existing bedrock for part of its walls and could accommodate 220 men. We were hoping for a nice view east to Karlsborg from the fort, but access is no longer allowed and trees blocked the view from outside.

Position: 58°30.51'N, 14°27.90'E

Our route to Karlsborg from Vaberget Fortress looked like we were going to end up pedalling on a busy highway, but fortunately we found a relatively new bicycle path instead.

Position: 58°32.48'N, 14°30.35'E

We had lunch on the patio canal-side at Kanalkiosken i Karlsborg and got a great close-up of a crow looking for a handout. Actually, it didn't really need a handout, this big tough bird was more than willing to steal food directly from our plates if we weren't vigilant.

Position: 58°31.79'N, 14°31.42'E

Jennifer pedalling through the Gothic Arch, the main entrance into Karlsborg Fortress. A traffic light blocks vehicle traffic through the single-lane road so pedestrians and cyclists can pass through.

Construction of the fortress began in 1819 and it wasn't completed until 90 years later. The idea was concentrate the Swedish forces in a central location and allow the enemy to move across the land, be tired out by small-scale skirmishes and eventually be defeated in a concentrated attack while they suffered from long supply lines.

Karlsborg was one of the largest fortresses in Europe, but was already outdated before it was complete, due to advances in artillery that rendered its thick limestone walls less capable of withstanding an enemy attack.

Position: 58°31.80'N, 14°31.39'E

View to one half of the 2,224ft (678m) Reduit, the longest building in Europe when it was completed in 1866, with 287 loopholes (gun slits). The tower in the distance is the Garrison Church at the center of the building.

Position: 58°31.71'N, 14°31.62'E

The entrance tunnel in the Reduit leading to the Karlsborg Fortress Museum.

Position: 58°31.71'N, 14°31.62'E

Model of the 250-acres (100 hectares) fortress in the Karlsborg Fortress Museum with the 2,224ft (678m) Reduit at the bottom. We passed along the eastern edge of the fortress, at the top of the photo, en route from Vadstena to Forsvik. We enjoyed the museum and it's varied displays detailed the history of the fortress and also of Vaberget that we'd visited earlier in the day.

Position: 58°31.71'N, 14°31.62'E

The Garrison Church, consecrated in 1869, is unusual in being a second-floor church. In the event of a war, parliament would be moved to Karlsborg and the church would serve as a parliamentary assembly hall.

Position: 58°31.71'N, 14°31.62'E

Portions of Karlsborg Fortress are still in military use today, including the headquarters for the famous fighting force of the Life Regiment Hussars. The Hussars, established 1536 by order of King Gustav I of Sweden (Gustav Vasa), are one of Europe's most victorious regiments and among the world's oldest still-active.

Position: 58°32.28'N, 14°32.18'E

The Garrison Hospital, completed in 1881.

Position: 58°32.30'N, 14°32.01'E

The King's Residence, built in 1823 as accommodations for King Karl XIV Johan when he visited the fortress, now is a private home.

Position: 58°32.13'N, 14°31.66'E

The Swedish Parachute Ranger School is one of several specialized units that are a part of the Life Regiment Hussars. This DC-3, nicknamed Munin, on display outside the fortress took part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy in 1944 and later was used to conduct parachuter training.

Position: 58°31.88'N, 14°31.53'E

The Garrison Hotel, completed in 1884.

Position: 58°34.76'N, 14°26.11'E

Arriving back into Forsvik from our bike ride to Karlsborg, we passed the old industrial complex of Forsviks Bruk powered by the waterfall flowing from Lake Viken into Lake Vattern. The water-powered sawmill built here in the early 1400s was the first known sawmill documented in written history.

Position: 58°34.73'N, 14°26.10'E

The old industrial buildings at Forsviks Bruk have been converted into an excellent museum detailing the area's manufacturing and industrial history.

Position: 58°34.73'N, 14°26.10'E

In the 1800s, Forsviks Bruk produced farm machinery, pumps, valves, pipes, fire hydrants, engines, wood pulp machines and castings of various kinds. The foundry also produced many iron products for the construction of the Gota Canal—we started to notice the Forsvik name on equipment as we continued our journey.

Position: 58°34.71'N, 14°26.16'E

The power source at Forsviks Bruk was changed from water to steam in the late 1800s

Position: 58°34.53'N, 14°26.12'E

On our way back to the Dirona, we stopped at the Forsvik Control Center to talk to the lock keeper. This is the control room where they control the Forsvik lock and bridge and two other bridges in the area.

Position: 58°34.53'N, 14°26.12'E

The view from the Forsvik Control Center looking east. Dirona is visible in the distance at the far left.

Position: 58°34.54'N, 14°26.31'E

The view from Dirona to the tranquil pond next to our berth in Forsvik.

Position: 58°34.55'N, 14°26.32'E

Entering the curved channel towards the Forsvik Lock.

Position: 58°34.55'N, 14°26.31'E

The Forsvik Lock is the highest in the Gota Canal, with a 11.5-ft (3.5 m) rise. Normally Jennifer is able to step from the boat deck to the lock side as we enter, but this one was well above the boat deck level, even standing on the rail. Fortunately she was able to hoist herself up by standing on the rail and grabbing onto a ring.

Position: 58°34.53'N, 14°26.12'E

In the Forsvik Lock ready to rise. This lock, completed in 1813, is the oldest of the 58 locks in the Gota Canal. All of the canal locks we've passed through so far have been smooth on both sides, but this one is rough rock on the south face as it was partly blasted through the rock to build.

Position: 58°34.53'N, 14°26.11'E

The Forsvik Bridge in the foreground is the oldest bascule bridge on the canal, completed in 1813. It was replaced by a bridge behind it and now stands permanently open.

Position: 58°34.59'N, 14°25.19'E

The section of the Gota Canal that runs through Lake Viken is among the most scenic, through several narrow channels and open areas dotted with islets. This is the Bergkanalen, a narrow channel cut through the Spetsnaset peninsula.

Position: 58°35.23'N, 14°23.79'E

Lake Viken is 301 ft (91.8m) above sea level and is the highest point in the Gota Canal. Here we are passing alongside a 1,968ft (600m) channel built in Lake Viken to allow sailboats to be towed through when conditions were excessively windy.

Position: 58°35.86'N, 14°23.26'E

The Brosundet Bridge, partway into Lake Viken, opening for us to pass through.

Position: 58°36.59'N, 14°11.57'E

The Tatorp Lock gates opening and the Tatorp Bridge lifting for the boats inside the lock to exit.

Position: 58°36.59'N, 14°11.57'E

The Tatorp Lock is one of only two manual locks in the Gota Canal. The lock is a regulating lock for the water level in Lake Viken and rises only 0.2m. Here Jennifer is helping close the gates, partly for fun and partly for efficiency.

Position: 58°36.60'N, 14°11.53'E

The lock keeper manually closing the sluice on the Tatorp Lock.

Position: 58°37.57'N, 14°11.00'E

Blasting a channel through the rock west of Tatorp Lock was so expensive that the width was restricted with no room to pass. Further complicating navigation, the channel used to make a hairpin turn here, likely to reduce the blasting required, and ships needed to use a semaphore to safely pass through. The hairpin later was straightened in 1933.

Position: 58°37.59'N, 14°8.56'E

A cyclist stopping to watch us pass through the Vassbacken Bridge.

Position: 58°38.40'N, 14°6.90'E

Passing through the Stang Bridge, one of five similar rolling bridges ordered for the Gota Canal in the 1830s.

Position: 58°38.85'N, 14°6.19'E

Passing through the Jonsboda Bridge. Preserved in the wall beyond are old regulating gates, designed to close automatically if water began to leak from the canal to prevent it from emptying.

Position: 58°41.34'N, 14°7.32'E

The well-kept Rotkilen Bridge keeper's home, built in 1901.

Position: 58°41.95'N, 14°7.59'E

This rope strung across the channel near Toreboda got our attention. We got surprisingly close before workers began to lower the rope. They probably hadn't seen us coming, and we were trying to figure out how to get past this point.

Position: 58°41.95'N, 14°7.59'E

The rope strung across the channel was for the pedestrian cable ferry Lina, the smallest regular ferry in Sweden. The manually-operated ferry is pulled across by the rope and in the winter, when the canal is frozen, is replaced by a bridge.

Position: 58°42.02'N, 14°7.68'E

The rope going back in place behind us.

Position: 58°42.10'N, 14°7.73'E

The Toreboda Train Station, completed in 1859, was strategically placed with one side facing the canal and the other facing the railway tracks as a symbolic peace pact between the two forms of transport with often conflicting interests.

Position: 58°42.44'N, 14°7.81'E

Looking down the railway tracks as we pass through the Toreboda Railway Bridge.

Position: 58°42.57'N, 14°7.76'E

A line of cars quickly built up at the Toreboda Road Bridge when it opened for us to pass.

Position: 58°42.89'N, 14°7.69'E

The rolling bridge at Gastorp was built in 1838 or earlier at Motala Verkstad, and is one of the oldest on the canal.

Position: 58°43.98'N, 14°7.48'E

The cast-iron Levsang Bridge, built in the 1830s, opening for us and opposing traffic to pass through. The canal staff who manage the bridges also control who passes through first, by showing a green light for the direction traffic is allowed to flow.

In the same area, a major leak in the canal occured in 1934 when a layer of stones and gravel beneath the canal had allowed water to escape and 3.7 miles (6km) of the canal drained.

Position: 58°44.89'N, 14°6.45'E

Exiting the Hajstrop double lock after passing through the Hajstorp bridge and then lowering 16.4ft (5.0m) in the two locks. We're now heading back down towards sea level.

Position: 58°44.90'N, 14°6.45'E

The gates open in the Hajstorp Lower Lock, another double lock that will lower us 16.7ft (5.1m).

Position: 58°45.04'N, 14°6.26'E

At the top of the Riksberg, a triple lock that will bring us down 24.6ft (7.5m) and then we'll pass under the Riksberg Bridge.

Position: 58°45.20'N, 14°5.87'E

Nearing our last two locks of the day, the Godhagen Locks, where we'll lower 16.7ft (5.1m).

Position: 58°46.04'N, 14°5.22'E

When moving in and out of the locks, James uses a Yacht Controller system to remotely control the thrusters and keep us in position. But the remote has stopped operating several times when we were in the locks. We switched to a spare remote, and that seemed to fix the problem, but then it re-occurred. We had a theory that it might be an overheat issue, as it only happens during the locking process, and never when we are entering the lock or underway. Turning the system off when not in use seemed to help, but not always.

Position: 58°46.90'N, 14°5.00'E

Approaching the Norrgvarn Gasthamn in front of the Norrqvarn Hotel. Normally we'd pick the more secluded location on the other side of the canal, but decided it would be fun to be right "downtown".

Position: 58°47.18'N, 14°4.90'E

Relaxing on the patio at the Norrqvarn Hotel after a big day underway. Today we'd passed through eleven locks and the same number of bridges. In the Forsvik lock we rose up 11.5 ft (3.5 m) to reach the highest point on the Gota Canal in Lake Viken at 301.2 ft (91.8 m) above sea level. Then we started descending, dropping 75.1 ft (22.9m) to 226.0 ft (68.9m) above sea level.

Position: 58°47.18'N, 14°4.90'E

The Norrqvarn Hotel owners have built an impressive model of a portion of the Gota Canal on their property.

Position: 58°47.24'N, 14°4.91'E

The model canal at Norrqvarn is popular with kids of all ages. Here James is damming the canal using portable wood gates.

Position: 58°47.29'N, 14°4.84'E

Looking west from the Norrqvarn Lock that we'll pass through tomorrow morning.

Position: 58°47.29'N, 14°4.83'E

Dirona moored at the Norrqvarn Gasthamn in front of the Norrqvarn Hotel, looking east from the Norrqvarn Lock area.

Position: 58°47.18'N, 14°4.90'E

An enjoyable meal on the terrace at the Norrqvarn Hotel.

Position: 58°47.18'N, 14°4.90'E

Everyone is out in the cockpit enjoying the tranquil evening along the Gota Canal at Norrqvarn.

Position: 58°47.25'N, 14°4.86'E

The road bridge and gate open for us to enter the Norrkvarn Upper Lock, where we'll drop 9.5 ft (2.9m).

Position: 58°47.53'N, 14°4.61'E

Approaching the Norrkvarn Lower Lock with the same drop of 9.5 ft (2.9m) as the Norrkvarn Upper Lock.

Position: 58°47.63'N, 14°4.28'E

We've just reached 1,000 hours on our Lugger L844D wing engine. Like the Deere main engine, the Lugger has run trouble-free and only required routine part replacement and maintenance. We've changed a raw water pump, a couple exhaust elbows, and some sensors, but otherwise only maintenance items.

Position: 58°47.87'N, 14°3.61'E

The Lyrestad E20 Bridge opening for us to pass.

Position: 58°48.04'N, 14°3.55'E

Lyrestad Church, built in 1674, contains a Madonna figure from the 12th century and a baptismal font dating from around 1200.

Position: 58°48.07'N, 14°3.54'E

The Lyrestad Old Bridge is a swing bridge dating from 1934 with two pairs of water regulating gates built into the abutments.

Position: 58°48.25'N, 14°3.25'E

Looking down the tracks as we pass through the Lyrestad Railway Bridge.

Position: 58°48.77'N, 14°2.21'E

The Rogstorp rolling bridge is modern copy of the older bridges built by Motala Verkstad. The bridgekeeper's cottage is the original from 1863.

Except for railway bridges, which are opened based on train schedules, we've generally not had to wait long for a bridge opening, but had to wait at least 20 minutes for this one. Likely the lockkeeper was busy elsewhere.

Position: 58°49.80'N, 14°1.00'E

Waiting on a jetty for commercial traffic to pass through the Sjotorp locks. Today is the last day of the regular high season, and the canal has been de-staffing, so we're seeing more delays. Starting tomorrow until the end of September, boats travel in scheduled convoys with a lockkeeper moving between the locks with them, rather than being stationed at the individual locks.

Position: 58°49.80'N, 14°1.00'E

We had at least an hour to wait for the Sjotorp locks, so did some chores. Our new Shark Navigator continues to pull out an astonishing amount of dirt and dust from our carpets.

Position: 58°49.80'N, 14°1.00'E

The day-cruise ship Bellevue emerging from the locks on a run between Sjotorp and Toreboda.

Position: 58°49.85'N, 14°0.98'E

Approaching the top lock of the Sjotorp 7-8 double lock to descend 15.1ft (4.6m).

Position: 58°49.92'N, 14°0.91'E

Spitfire taking in the view from the salon as we're underway.

Position: 58°50.02'N, 14°0.21'E

Approaching the single Sjotorp 6 lock to descend 7.9ft (2.4m).

Position: 58°50.08'N, 13°59.55'E

The Sjotorp 4-5 is close after Sjotorp 6. The double lock will bring us down 15.7ft (4.8m). Visible in the distance beyond is the upper basin at Sjotorp.

Position: 58°50.12'N, 13°59.38'E

The Sjotorp R26 Bridge opening for us as we exit the Sjotorp 4-5 locks.

Position: 58°50.19'N, 13°59.12'E

The mostly-empty upper basin at Sjotorp. This is typically the end of the run for charter boats.

Position: 58°50.19'N, 13°59.12'E

It must be a very tight squeeze for the Mina to fit through the Gota Canal locks.

Position: 58°50.19'N, 13°58.94'E

The Sjotorp Bridge opening for us to enter the final set of locks.

Position: 58°50.18'N, 13°58.72'E

Onlookers at the Sjotorp 2-3 locks after we've descended another 15.7ft (4.8m).

Position: 58°50.18'N, 13°58.64'E

Pleasure craft moored along the middle basin at Sjotorp.

Position: 58°50.20'N, 13°58.48'E

Inside the final lock Gota Canal, Sjotorp 1, to descend 9.5ft (2.9m).

Position: 58°50.24'N, 13°58.58'E

Moored for the night at the guest harbour on Lake Vanern outside the Gota Canal. We passed through ten locks and seven bridges today and descended 83.0ft (25.3m) to bring us to Lake Vanern at (43.8m) above sea level. We'll eventually pass through the Trollhatte canal to reach sea level again, this time on the west coast of Sweden.

Position: 58°50.24'N, 13°58.57'E

The power service along the Gota Canal is mostly 6 amps, not enough to power our 1800-watt hairdryer. Our dual-shorepower configuration allows us to use two of whatever the shorepower connections support. It's amazing to see a fairly power-intensive boat able to run on 6-amp connections.

Position: 58°50.23'N, 13°58.58'E

We're drawing 5 amps from each of the two 6-amp shore supplies. We used to think 16 amps wasn't very much, but 6 amps is a whole new low.

Position: 58°50.17'N, 13°58.81'E

Lunch in the glass-enclosed dining room at Restaurang Kajutan. The Gota Canal runs way above in the grass bank behind James. We're actually eating well below the canal level.

Position: 58°50.20'N, 13°58.84'E

The sculpture Vattentrappa ("water steps" in English) is a memorial to the 58,000 who , excavated the Gota Canal from Sjotorp to Mem between 1810 and 1832. The steps are made of granite from Brohus.

Position: 58°50.26'N, 13°58.84'E

Dry-dock used for repairing ships that ran along the Gota Canal. It appears to still be in use, perhaps for winter boat storage.

Position: 58°50.24'N, 13°58.79'E

A sign showing the history of Sjotorp's bandy teams. Bandy is similar to ice hockey, with players wearing skates, but is played with a ball and a bowed stick similar to field hockey. The game is heavily influenced by soccer, both having similar-sized playing areas, 11 players per side and normally played in 45-minute halves.

Position: 58°50.27'N, 13°58.82'E

Several stone bollards that the larger ships tie off to were lying near the Gota Canal repair depot. It makes sense that so much of the bollard is below-ground in order to handle heavy strain.

Position: 58°50.18'N, 13°58.82'E

Iron works from Forsvik. Now that we've visited the Forsvik Museum, we recognize the name everywhere along the canal.

Position: 58°50.18'N, 13°58.83'E

Watching a set of boats lock through at Sjotorp. This will be the last unrestricted lockings of the high season before the scheduled booking season starts tomorrow.