First, let’s put any rumors to rest.

Those of you who have been paying attention may recall our trepidation, documented late last season in this blog, upon hearing Roland Olsson, the HR Sales Chief, refer to the Gӧta Canal as the “divorce ditch.” We had forecast our 2010 cruising plan for him, and in return he shared the dubious moniker awarded the canal by locals. Given the drama sometimes associated with our nascent docking skills, and the resulting occasional tense moments, we wondered if, true to its nickname, the Gӧta Canal would take its toll on our union.

Well, I am happy to report that having emerged from the canal, our marriage remains as strong as our hull, which suffered nary a bump or bruise from the Gӧta lock walls. So any rumors to the contrary can be dismissed. Thanks to careful maneuvering by the helmsman (that’s me) and expert positioning of fenders and lines by the first mate (that’s Jocelyn), the stresses on the boat, and consequently our relationship, were kept to a minimum. More than survived, our marriage thrived through the experience, following the age old edict, “that which does not kill me makes me stronger.”

With that romance bulletin complete, we can return to our itinerary.

We now find ourselves sailing the second largest lake in Europe. Or so the Lake Vӓnern tourist brochures tell us. Don’t ask me where the largest is. I suspect it is in Russia, but the brochures don’t say.

We stayed one night where the Gӧta Canal ends in the small hamlet of Sjӧtorp before sailing on toward the next canal – Trollhӓtte. (Yes, dear follower, you read right. Another canal awaits. Hopefully, the above romance bulletin is not premature.) There was no need to rush to the first lock, though, as the Trollhӓtte Canal was closed for maintenance from August 27th to September 1st, giving us time to explore the lake.

After a night at anchor in a natural harbor on the island of Brӧmmosund, we sailed to the quaint town of Mariestad where we enjoyed a bicycle ride and a reprovisioning stop at one of the best stocked grocery stores seen this season. The next morning dawned bright and clear, with 15-knot northeasterlies to propel us to Lӓckӧ Castle, the featured destination on our Vӓnern itinerary.

During a tour of the castle, we learned its history.

In 1298 Brynolf Algotsson, Bishop of Skara, laid the foundations for a fortified castle at the end of a peninsula on Lake Vӓnern. The castle was administered by the Catholic church until reformation in 1527 when Gustav Vasa took possession and the castle became the property of the Swedish Crown.

The castle’s heyday extended through the 17th century when Count de la Gardie was granted the property by the Crown after some military heroics. Upon the count’s death, his son Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie inherited the castle. In 1654, he initiated immense construction projects, including new rooms and housing for the staff in the gatehouse. He also added the kitchen wing, the castle chapel and a fourth floor on the keep. Even if the Middle Ages hover over large parts of the castle, visitors’ impressions today are shaped most by Count de la Gardie.

After touring the castle, we traipsed around the peninsula on our bicycles, taking in one pastoral scene after another.

Returning to the boat, we invited Martin, captain of the German 32-foot Dehler sloop of our Gӧta Canal convoy, to join us for dinner. His girlfriend had disembarked in Sjӧtorp to return to Germany, leaving him to single-hand the boat back to Kiel. His path and ours have crossed several times since leaving the canal. Our dinner offered him a break from his solitude. In return, he imparted lighthearted stories of the season’s cruises while we shared a meal of baked Vӓnern whitefish and corn chowder. As darkness gathered, he bid us adieu and we retired for the evening.