The Telemark Canal was etched in the mountains for well over 100 years ago, and when the canal was completed in 1892 the rest of Europe called it “the eighth wonder of the world". Five hundred men had worked for five years, blasting their way through the mountains. With a total of 28 lock chambers, the route was cleared from Skien to the ancient Norwegian town of Dalen, a sailing route of 105 km and with an elevation difference of 72 meters. Friday 19 July, Skutevikkilen to Langesund and Porsgrunn at start of Telemark Canal, 31NM Caught up at last with Dag Sunde and his 8-yr old Daniel between the two opening bridges in Porsgrunn. Dag had been here 3 days replacing his cylinder head gasket and valve springs himself, and was just about to set off home as we arrived. We decided to explore the Telemark Canal as he had done and bought his set of charts. We had met Dag and Anne last year and got Dag to be the CA HLR for Arendal. Shopped in Steen and Strørm, a modern shopping complex. Saturday 20 July, Porsgrunn to Ulefoss (Lake Nordsjø), 58N17.3, 9E16.1), 18NM (We had overnighted free on the riverside quay between the 13m and 8m bridges). The 8m bridge opened very quickly on calling on Ch12, at 0850; up River Skienselva against 1.5kt stream to Skien. Moored below lock to shop, visit the cathedral and photo the Ibsen statue and theatre with cathedral behind. Paid NOK800 for the full length of the Telemark Canal at Skien sluse (2 chambers but only lower one used, then 4NM to Lovied sluse (3 chambers) in Skotfoss, entering the S end of the Nordsjø (North Sea!). Unlike our North Sea this is a tranquil (no fast power boats!) lake with steep pine-forrested slopes plunging into the 177m deep lake. Very hot day so sought somewhere to tie up and swim, finding a tiny stone quay built on steep rock on SW corner of the largest island, Munken. After a plunge, followed a man-made cart track steeply up through birch and pine-scented forest to an ancient settlement, only a cellar remaining. Picked bilberries. Continued into a shallow sheltered bay anchoring between bow and stern anchors before rowing ashore to inspect depth. Saw a huge rock just below the surface so decided to stay put for a swim and dinner. Having problem with stern gear decided to continue to Ulefoss where the Telemark Canal begins. Explored Ulefoss but found this a rather over-tidy and soulless town with manicured lawns and no old buildings. Sunday 21 July, Ulefoss to Lunde, 59N18.1, 9E5.4, 6NM Barometer 999 and falling fast. Spent an uncomfortable hour in the engine space adjusting the Morse gear control, finding it sensitive to a half-turn on the cable adjustment. Waited for an hour below the lock here, a 3-chamber staircase. All the locks from here are hand-operated with ratchet levers to open and close gates; this provides holiday work for numbers of students. Next lock was a double but on arriving at the Vrangfoss (note foss = waterfall as in Aira Force), a 5-lock staircase, we were told there would be a delay as the two scheduled passenger ships Henrik Ibsen (built 1907) and Telemark were due to descend. Eventually they arrived and were followed by two lock-fulls of pleasure boats. [Lockkeeper using ratchet lever to close gate on Vrangfoss Sluser] [Passenger ship Henrik Ibsen descending Vrangfoss flight of locks] There can of course be no passing of up and down traffic. Finally we entered with four motorboats at 1720, clearing the top lock at 1910, after a downpour with no let-up in progress. Entering each chamber ropes are dropped down onto ones bows and stern and held lightly to prevent the boats surging to anf forth, water only entering the chambers through large slices in the gates. A tiny motorboat had cheekily queue jumped and got into the lock first, but found it so rough the lockkeepers had to take over 15 minutes to fill each chamber. The locks only work between 0900 and 1900 so we had to wait overnight below Lunde Sluse. There is a proper marina above the lock but we lay alongside a large motoryacht who kindly provided us with power from his extension cable drum. So a long and hard-working day achieved only 5 miles! The countryside and weather (cloud on the low hills) is very like the English Lake District. The interesting part of the village, with pretty church, is on the far side of the river with no way to cross except by backtracking to a bridge well below the lock, so after supper and a brief walk after a thunderstorm, turned in to read and write. Monday 22 July, Lunde to Lårdal, 59N25.4, 9E11.2, 32NM Entered Lunde lock with one other boat as it opened at 0900 in rain. This was much more like an English lock with a lift of only 3m and a weir alongside. We followed them into the final two locks, Hogga, the last with two chambers lifting us to the final height of 72m above sea level. This was a wet lock with water jetting out throgh the stone wall, but fortunately with only two boats we were able to keep well back and avoid being soaked. The countryside now changed with some lush green cornfields before steep treeless crags. Round a bend we entered the 9mile long Flåvatn lake with 500m hills either side. At Fjågesund the lake constricts to 70-200m in width through an S-bend before continuing as the Kviteseidvatn; this was a river connecting two lakes before the level was raised by locks below. Not having applied the corrections that came with the charts we were alarmed that the cable ferry had been replaced by a bridge subsequently proving to have a 14m air draft (we are 12.7); we had hoped to shop here but would have had to anchor so carried on. In this section we met two undecked boats but with canvas covers whose Dutch ensigns seemed relatively huge. We also met a total of ten canoes padding with the current. Once again the lake constricts to a mere river 100m wide at its narrowest before emerging as the 20mile long Bandak lake. Mountains with snow patches appeared in the distance. The visibility then closed in, largely due to heavy rain, so we decided to stop at Lårdal on the North bank instead of continuing to the head of the lake at Dalen. Our chart showing a symbol for a food shop we set off to find it at 1630. Margo was told it was "up the hill but we must be quick as it closed at 5". By 1645 there was no sight of any shop so we stopped a car - it was 4km! The first person must have assumed we had a car (as presumably most visitors do). By a little rather obvious hinting the driver did a U-turn and took us up this hill to several hundred metres waiting while we shopped! As it was now suddenly hot we were especially thankful. [Bandak Lake from churchyard above Lårdal] A local group here have built the Lårdal Ark, a paddle-driven children’s climbing frame on three decks on catamaran floats. A 70HP diesel drives the paddle by hydraulic motor. Unfortunately the rudders either side of the paddle provide little turning moment so it was necessary to install an outboard motor in the bows as a bow-thruster. Tuesday 23 July, Lårdal to Dalen at end of Telemark navigation, 59N28.6, 8E11.3, 5NM [The Lårdal Ark under way] The Ark sailed with a group of exceedingly well-behaved children before we left at 10, a beautiful morning with lovely lenticular clouds. Dalen marina had excellent facilities and we used the laundry while being shown around the hydroelectric power station built 100m inside mountain and fed from lake 393m above. The biggest of eight in the region it has four turbine generators totalling 430MW and feeding an average of 2120GWhr into the grid each year. All immaculately clean. Given ear plugs as turbine floor very noisy. A luminous stripe on the floor shows way to emergency exits if lighting fails. "Cycled" or rather walked 4km and some 300m up roads with many hairpin bends to Eidborg stave church where the girls had just locked up. [Eidsborg Stavkyrkje above Dalen] However one agreed to reopen for us and showed us round most enthusiastically. Built in 13th century with ancient decoration it is still used for special services. After taking 80 minutes to get up descended in 20 but now need new brake blocks! [Bandak Lake and our pontoon in Dalen from road to Eidsborg] Wednesday 24 July, Dalen back to Smeodden, 59N21.8, 8E31.3, 19NM Cycled first to the magnificent 1884 hotel overlooking the head of the lake, and met two Morgan enthusiasts. One was vintage, the other only 4 years old but very similar! Then a mile or two up the river valley along a noisy river falling through huge boulders. Margo made a water colour. After a brief shop set off back down the 19NM long Bandak lake, managing to sail virtually the whole way. Had intended to go to Kvitseid on another lake which joins the lake E of the Bandak (all these lakes and connecting "rivers" are at the same level, held back by weirs and locks), but overlooked the fact that the swing bridge (the only bridge that needs to be opened) must close before 1900 as we could get no reply. So doubled back into the first river to moor alongside a stone wharf (formerly used by a river steamer when this was the main form of transport) in quite a strong current. Walked up to an old stone church and group of ancient wooden houses. [Restored ancient house in Kvitseid) On the other side of a suspension bridge they are quarrying the terminal moraine of a glacier, getting ready crushed stone. Thursday 25 July, Smoedden to Akkerhaugen at head of Norsjø, 59N23.5, 9E15.2, 36NM Left at 8 to get through locks to Ulefoss before they close at 1900. Glassy calm at first, but a little wind to sail from 1130. Stopped on old steamer jetty at Fjågesund walking up steep path to a 1915 wooden church commanding a stunning view of lake. [Skotfoss Church] Also a real aladdin’s cave of a shop with welly boots, candlesticks, chandlery, chainsaw oil, food and clothes in a tiny space! Passed by one of the floating "compounds" where logs are stored awaiting tows by tugs. Made very good time through locks which they empty very fast. One near disaster where the student lock-keepers left open a sluice in a top gate so that as the level dropped we were in a torrent, and I strained very hard on the line to our stern to stop Babaji crashing across the lock chamber. Fortunately the young fellow spotted his mistake, sprinted to top of lock and dropped the sluice gate just before I lost control, so no damage done. We descended the famous five-flight in 75 minutes with three other boats; they dallied at the bottom so we locked through the next two by ourselves, before having to wait for a boat coming up the final three-flight (and the others to catch us up). While waiting we got our mast into an overhanging birch tree, but got out without damage. Straight out at Ulefoss into the Norsjø (N. Sea) turning North to Akkerhaugen at head of the lake. Called a nice couple met had met at Ulefoss on the way up to ask for recommendation for mooring, and they said they would meet us on their pontoon. G&T and shortbread on board at 8 before they took us to their home at Gvarv (=winding (river)) for delicious waffles with their own strawberry jam and frozen uncooked strawberry/sugar mixture. Jørgen Haugen was about to retire after 23 years as loadmaster on a gas terminal shipping ethane, propane and vinyl chloride mainly to Teeside (driving 110km every day), and they were going out to their yacht in Greece where they have bought a building plot! Before this job he had many others, including a Telemark Canal tug captain, towing barges and ice-breaking, deep-sea whaling, dog breeding and bee-keeping. He had visited England many times, for Crufts, visiting bee keepers in Buckfastleigh, etc., altogether a fascinating life and evening! Friday 26 July, at Akkerhaugen Had swim but remarkably cold as river comes down from melting snowfields! Jørgen called to bring us his honey, frozed strawberry, and fresh bread, and to take Margo shopping while I did maintenance. Repaired a stanchion damaged during our launch, varnished, repainted the anchor, etc. Glorious hot day. Saturday 27 July, Akkerhaugen to Porsgrunn, 59N8.3, 9E38.4, 23NM Motored full length of Lake Nordsjø, this time noticing the big cave in the cliff to which a party were scrambling from their boat. Coincidentally entered the top lock with a German yacht who locked up with us a week ago; their mast height precluded them going any further (limit is 13m and we are 12.7!). Stopped below Loveid lock for lunch, shopping and photo of church across river. Stopped again in Skein above lock to visit museum on high ground (120 steps); we had a guide, genuinely interested, to ourselves so could choose the things we wished to see, although she said we should see the "rose room" painted by an itinerant artist Ola Hansson in 1788. A rich businessman had his house decorated with artists canvasses, painted over; some had been painstakingly cleaned to reveal striking pictures. Outside there were the "usual" range of buildings from the area from wattle and daub to to rich farmers houses. Locked down onto the river, thus ending a most memorable week on the Telemark Canal; once again the double bascule bridge opened promptly for us and we moored alongside between the bridges. Walked up to church. Continue Back to Part 1 Home |
