The Berg Locks turned out not to be as difficult as expected — just the same procedure repeated several times. Soon we were on our way again in the canal. We ended up ahead of a motorboat from Motala, whose crew we chatted and joked with quite a bit. After the Berg Locks, we had to wait for the lock ahead of us to finish, which took time. Neither we nor the German boat behind us could see whether the lock was ready or not, which became a problem. I realised this might be the first time we could actually use our VHF radio. I went over to the captain of the German boat and told him I’d go ahead to the lock and signal on channel 72 once it was open so they could follow us in.
We motored up to the nearest dock by the lock, where the motorboat bound for Motala was also moored. Just seconds after we’d tied up, their large dog tried to jump aboard but failed miserably — it sank like a stone. One of the guys from the Motala boat stretched out as far as he could to grab the dog, and finally managed to get hold of its collar, pulling the dog, Lisa, back to the surface — but then couldn’t lift her any further. The older daughter on board impulsively jumped into the water to rescue her, and we could instantly hear the hiss of her automatic lifejacket inflating.
Once the dog was pulled to the shore, she shook herself happily dry. On the girl’s arm, we saw she had cuts from rocks. Jennifer quickly ran down into our boat to fetch everything needed to clean the wound. Just as they’d finished, the locks opened, and I called over the radio: “Locks is open... Locks is open,” and we could see the German boat respond to the signal.
At Borenshult, the German boat didn’t appear — instead, a different one showed up: India III, a beautifully custom-built Lütje 41 with a wooden deck, owned by a student fraternity from Kiel (Corps Holsatia Kiel). Their journey can be read about here 🔗. The locks opened much more forcefully than before, and the currents were intense. India III, twice the size of our boat, was positioned at the front and had to work hard, while our small boat had it much easier.
When the canal paused in Motala to allow the crossing of Lake Vättern, we lost a few boats, leaving only four of us to sail across in strong headwinds. We arrived in Karlsborg and rested a few hours before the 18:00 bridge opening.
We spent the night in Forsvik. The rain poured all night and lingered in the air the next morning as we continued through the beautiful lake landscape. The weather improved the closer we got to Töreboda, and when we finally arrived — after following a passenger ferry at painfully slow speed — we were able to restock food and drinks.
That evening in Töreboda, the crew of India III knocked on our boat and invited us aboard, saying they thought we were “real sailors” too. Another couple, who had built their own sailing boat 40 years ago, had treated the Germans to herring and potatoes — in true Swedish fashion, complete with drinking songs and schnapps. We sang German and Swedish songs — both student anthems and traditional tunes — and agreed that our three boats would sail to an island in Lake Vänern for a sauna. It would be the first sauna for me and Jennifer on the entire journey, as there had been a fire ban all summer. The boat was full of unused firewood, ready at last to be put to use.