Tåtorp-Norrqvarn, 29 June

The lock at Tåtorp is the first of the down locks. It is manually operated! We will have a few on our way to Norrqvarn, in one of the most scenic section of the canal that we have seen so far.

The manual lock at Tåtorp

The technique for passing down locks is different than the one one for the upwards locks. The very good news is that you do not need to drop some on the shore ahead of the lock on a very small pier as you enter the lock at it is full and therefore, it is easy to go on shore and pass the lines. For a single down lock, one goes on shore and fit the back line in the ring, back to the boat, and on the front, in the ring and back to the boat. Then, both on board, we control the lines as the boat goes down.

The only difficulty we encounter is the significant side wind that we experience in the locks as you enter in the full lock, which chases you away from the pier, requiring at time a reverse approach to drop the one on the pier. And things get a bit more complicated when there is another boat entering the lock on our back.

In the double lock, the one on shore stays on shore for the first lock, so as to carry the back line to the back ring in the following lock, which is usually quite high.

Kaja holding he front lock line in a flight of two locks

By the water, along the canal, to Norrqvarn

It is very popular to ride the towpaths all along the canal. Cyclists are going faster than boats, and we always greet each other along the path. Often, they stop at the locks to watch the boats passing by, which results at times in significant spectators for the lock manoeuvres!

Cyclists by the towpath

Narrow passage on the way 

So quiet and peaceful!

Passing pedestrian bridge along the water way

We are informed that today, there are some works going on on one of the railway bridge along the way. Therefore we should wait in one location until they can open the bridge for a short period, allowing all the boats to go at once. We end-up being eight boats in a row going through a long segment of the canal until the railway bridge opens.

Next boat in line passing the pedestrian bridge

We end up the day in Norrqvarn, as it is close to 18:00 and the operations on the canal are stopping. There is not much to see in Norrqvarn, except a residence hotel with funny houses in the shape of trees or mushrooms.

Norrqvarn marina