Leaving Stockholm, we motored through the torturous Baggenssstӓket and then set sail in 15-knot winds through the Ägnӧfjӓrden and the Ingarӧfjӓrden and finally to the open Baltic. We had 100 nautical miles to cover before arriving at the entrance to the Gota Canal, the main part of Leg Six. After 30 miles, we set anchor for the night at Ranӧhamn, a natural harbor on the island of Ranӧ just ten miles off the coast.

We weighed anchor the next morning just after sunrise (5 a.m. now and getting later each day) to partly cloudy skies and 15-knot northeasterlies. The forecast called for the winds to be steady from the northeast all day, building to 20 knots in the afternoon with gusts to 25. After rounding Landsӧrt, our course took us 40 miles over open sea to the channel leading to Mem and the first canal lock.

The forecast proved a bit innacurate, as the winds built to more than 30 knots, which with associated seas caused some discomfort among the crew. Lydia and I were unafflicted, however, and managed to steer Windleblo on a broad starboard reach for twenty miles, then jibing for a further twenty mile reach into the approach channel. Once in smoother waters, Jocelyn and Leon perked up and we enjoyed the remaining sail to Mem where we tied up at the canal entrance at 6 p.m..

The next day proved eventful as we got our first taste of Gota Canal locks. Working Windleblo through the locks was like nothing we had ever experienced. The canal website describes the procedure.

Before entering the lock, one crew member must be put ashore to help with the lines from the edge of the lock. Then, once beckoned by the lockkeeper the boat is steered into the lock and the lockkeeper shuts the gates behind. A line is thrown to the person on shore who loops it over rings on the lock edge. All slack is taken out of this line before cleating it to the stern. A second line is thrown from the bow to the shore. This line is attached to a ring on the lock edge three to four meters forward of the boat. It is fed through a block on the bowsprit, then to a winch in the cockpit. Once all the lines are secure the lockkeeper allows water to flood the lock from above, lifting the boat. As the lift occurs, slack in the bow line is taken up through the winch to keep the bow from drifting out into the lock. Fenders are employed to keep the topsides from crunching against the wall.

As you can imagine, we were a bit nervous on our first lock. But the lockkeeper at Mem was a friendly young lady (blonde, of course) who held our hand throughout. Despite the powerfully roiling waters as the lock filled, we came through unscathed, earning an “A+”grade from the lockkeeper for our efforts. Then, it was on to the next lock.

After several locks and intervening stretches of canal, we encountered the delightful hamlet of Sӧderkӧping where we stopped at a cafe for the lunch special of baked chicken, rice, green beans, and salad bar before proceeding on. A thunderstorm impeded progress as the lockkeepers could not open a bridge for us until the lightning had passed. At 6 p.m., the lockkeepers go home and our day’s journey concluded. We found ourselves tied up to a dock just above Bradtӧm Sluss with several pasturing horses as neighbors.

After a final log entry for the day, I found a nature trail in the nearby woods for a run, capped off by a swim (fresh water!) off the stern ladder.

As galley master of the day, Leon prepared a delicious baked fish, couscous, and broccoli dish for dinner. We ended the evening weary but satisfied with our performance on our first day in the canal.

The next day, Wednesday, dawned cool but dry, warming into the 70’s by mid-afternoon. We started out at 9:30 a.m. once the lockkeepers returned to work. After two bridges, we crossed Roxen Lake arriving in the quaint town of Berg on the lake’s west end.

There, we stared straight up into a flight of seven locks in a row, which would lift us more than 52 meters above the lake. This flight of locks is itself a big tourist attraction, and we found ourselves the center of attention for some 50 onlookers, many with cameras.

By this time, we had a good system down. Lydia was the shore person, Jocelyn handled the lines, Leon served as the “roving fender,” and I controlled the helm. We progressed smoothly through each lock, earning a “5 out of 5” rating from the lockkeeper and applause from the crowd at the last lock. We moved on.