Alone in Djurö, 1st and 2nd July

Djurö is one of the "coups de coeur" indicated by François and Valérie (Cybèle 17), which we did not want to miss, despite forecast of SW winds in the 25 knots. But the Malbergshamn is protected from Southern winds. Djurö means the "Island of animals". It was first inhabited in the XVIIth century, under the reign of Gustav Wasa. In the late XIXth century, three families were living on the island, selling their fish catch to Mariestad or Linköping, 15 to 20 nautical miles aways that they had to row in order to sell their catch to the local markets!

Belisama alone in the Malbergshamn on Djurö

We moor on the little pontoon, by 1.4 metres of water, in the middle of water plants. I should not forget to clean the the water inlet strainer on the way out...

Sjötorp, to the end of the Kanal, 30 June

Sjötorp is the end of the Göta Kanal. Not that we are back to the Kattegat in Göteborg yet, but the Göta Kanal is just the portion between the lake Vänern and the Baltic sea. From Vänern towards the west to Göteborg, we will have to go through the Trollhättan Kanal.

Passing one of the many bridges

Lots of bridges and locks for this final section, going down from the 91.8 metres in Tåtorp to the 45 metres in Vänern lake...

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

Karlsborg-Forsvik-Tåtorp, 28 June

The ride by the stream, from Forvik to Tåtorp is the highest point in the Göta Kanal, 91.8 metres above the sea level, after having passed 38 locks going up.

This section of the canal was dug with explosives and results in narrow paths requiring lots of attention, as there is no way to meet another boat, except in specific spots.

Hästholmen to Karlsborg, 25-28 June

Sweden is in the middle of an anticyclone and therefore, there is absolutely no wind, and funnily, despite the heat, there is virtually no sea breeze either. But we are on a lake 15 km wide and the sea breeze probably has not enough leeway to be generated.

Stéphane preparing the BBQ on the Hästholmen guest pier

We wanted to go south to Gränna, Visingö island and Linköping, but we gave up given the absence of wind.