Part 5 Gota canal Vadstena – Sjotorp (YouTube 16)

In this part which follows part 4, we continue our journey along the Gota Canal from Vadstena, crossing Lake Vattern, to Sjotorp.The part from Forsvik to Tatorp is, in my opinion, the most beautiful part of the canal. Here we also reach the highest point namely 91.8 metres above sea level and the Champagne can be opened. See also YouTube film number 15.

Karlsborg

After bringing in the fishing net with no fish, we continue our journey across Lake Vatern to Karlsborg. We depart on 15-7-20223 at 08:40. The weather is favourable for us, although cloudy, but a weak East 1 wind and a temperature of 16 degrees.
Lake Vattern is an elongated lake from north to south and is 76 Nm long and 17 Nm wide. Lake Vattern is about 88 metres above sea level and is over 70 metres deep in the middle. So the bottom of the lake is about 18 metres above sea level and there is a puddle of water on top of that.
We arrive in Karlsborg at 12:36 and moor in front of the lock. We stay here for 2 nights and take the necessary drone footage and replenish the fresh stock a bi

Forsvik – Tatorp (91,8 meter after the lock) Youtube film 15

On 18-7-2023 11.00 we detach for the short 4 Nm stretch to Forsvik. Here, too, we moor before the lock at 11.53.
The lock that will eventually take us to the highest point namely 91.8 metres above sea level. The weather is still very showery and I am just having a cup of tea with my German back neighbour and wife, when the heavens open again, they put up their outside tent and I quickly return to the Asmara to close the necessary hatches and doors, but I don’t need to worry about Simba, who flies in at the first splash. So I go back to my neighbours to finish my tea and continue the conversation. I have never drunk so much tea in an hour. Among other things, they made me aware that there is a museum here of the origins of industry in this village as far back as 1300. The museum consists of a number of buildings and halls and is worth visiting, it is free. This is in brief what is told about it:
The power of water lies at the heart of Forsvik bruk. From a farm with a mill from 1300, activities have developed and laid a foundation for 600 years of industry and production, from flour and boards to steel, machinery and boats. It is now a valuable archive of Swedish history. A visit to the museum the Verkstad (work town) is therefore highly recommended.

There are some places alongside and several nose in. The passenger boat also has a mooring place here and there is a sign next to it when it moors there, so you are not allowed to moor there. here too, as in most places, I made drone footage.
The next morning at 09.33 I cast off to go through the lock and after a short channel to moor at 10.00 outside the lock on a nice long jetty with no facilities. (Actually meant to be a waiting lock with camera and traffic light for when the lock is closed)
But here I will open my Champagne and take the necessary drone footage again. It is at this spot that I record my YouTube film for reaching this milestone. I decide to move on only the next morning and enjoy the serenity for a while longer.

The next morning at 09.20 we detach for the route across Lake Viken to Tatorp.
But first follows the Bildstromm Canal and the Spetnas Canal, the latter being so small that the passenger boat horn signals for passage East or West and it always has priority. This area is truly breathtakingly beautiful, but also a challenge for skippers as any steering error is punished with rocks, so stay well between the buoys at all times. After sailing in this beautiful area for a while, you return to somewhat wider and deeper water and here Lake Viken makes a 150-degree turn to the south, towards Tatorp, where I moor at 12.45. This was an experience to remember. An experience never to be forgotten. Tatorp has a longshore jetty for eight berths and no further facilities.

After Forsvik comes the most beautiful area of Sweden I have seen to date, the two channels Bildstromm and Spetsnas shown below

Vassbacken

By now I’m already talking about 20-07-2023 when I detach from Tatorp at 11.30 to go back down through the first lock, well that’s a warm-up 30 cm down. Anyway, from now on all the locks go down again and that is a relief for everyone, but especially for me (solo). I give the two lines to the lock keeper and he passes them through the ring for me, then asks each boat a thumbs up for ok (was also when going up) before opening the valve and letting the water flow out. After a few more locks and bridges, I moor in Vassbacken at 12.33. Nice little place though, bread to order, restaurant for lunch and dinner. 25 moorings alongside, power, water, no supermarket. At the end of the day it fills up well with boats and I moor in a corner all built in. Simba can get out and about again.

Torreboda

We left Vassbacken behind again on 22/7/23 and headed for Torreboda on the Gota Canal. We pass Jonboda but do not stop there. It is a small mooring with 12 berths alongside and 12 electricity connections. There is a Mini camping site next to it. There are toilets, showers and a washing machine. In convoy, we continue down the Gota Canal towards Sjotorp, passing several bridges. Which, by the way, all open smoothly. The convoy moves faster than I want to sail so two of us lag behind a bit, causing us to pass a closed bridge. But once it reopens, we arrive at Torreboda, where the convoy is still waiting for the railway bridge. We have made up our delay again and can sail on my right with the convoy to moor in Torreboda at 10.39 a mere 4 Nm. But I stay here for 2 nights and take the necessary drone images .Torreboda has 30 moorings alongside, 12 power connections, toilet and showers, swimming pool across the street, COOP on 200 more, petrol/diesel pump INGO at 200 metres, in short a nice place. In the morning I watch the first match of the World Cup women against Portugal which they win 1-0.

Lyrestad

We leave Sjotorp on 24/7/23 and head towards Lyrestad. Before we reach Lyrestad, we still have a number of bridges (7) to cross and also descend through 5 locks, single, double and triple, dropping from 91.8 metres to 63.3 metres. Here we pass Hajstorp and Norrkvarn. In Hajstorp, they have 15 moorings alongside, 8 power sockets, toilets, showers and drinking water. i did not stop there. WE then go down a bridge and double lock. Then we passed Norrkvarn where I had lunch. Norrkvarn has 15 moorings, 5 electricity sockets, toilet, showers, drinking water and washing machine. Incidentally, you should note that throughout the Gota Canal, all power connections are only 6 amps.
I continue my way to Lyrestad at 13.00 and arrive at 14.11. Total trip from Torreboda – Lyrestad 8 Nm. Incidentally the weather left much to be desired, Cloudy, rain, Temperature 16 degrees. I take the necessary drone footage in Lyrestad too. A nice place.

Sjotorp

On 26/7/23 we detach again for the last place. in the Gota Canal, Sjotorp. To this end, we still have 5 bridges to go, 3 double and 2 single locks until Sjotorp and Lake ‘Vanern. So Sjotorp is both the starting point and the ending point of the canal, so do you go East to West or West to East. this last stretch is 5 Nm.
It is a beautiful day with light clouds and a temperature of 18-19 degrees at 0900. Here we also have to check out of the canal, but you don’t have to look for that because they do that at the very last lock, there someone comes to your boat and takes your two passes for the toilets and showers and the sticker you had to put on your boat. They also come with a very short questionnaire on which you fill in a score and any comments or remarks about the canal. Of course, the necessary drone footage of this was also taken. There are 22+12 moorings alongside or nose in. Equal power connections, there is a diesel pump, a small supermarket and all other standard amenities. You can moor in the bowl on either side, but you can also choose to go through the last bridge and moor before the last lock, after which Lake Vanern is in front of you. After this lock, although there is another marina to starboard, it is no longer included in your canal ticket. So if you want to cross Lake Vanern before 0900, you can spend a night there. Just make sure your boat is ready for big water again, because bear in mind that Lake Vanern is 6 times the size of the IJsselmeer and you will be at 44.5 metres above sea level by now.
The weather today was cloudy and wind ZW 4 Bft temperature now 22 degrees. Although rain is forecast for tomorrow and a chance of thunderstorms. Again, I made the necessary drone images. Next stop Mariestad. But more on this in the next part number 6.