<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tues. July 26\/Wed. July 27:<\/strong> The Gota Canal guide divides to the canal into three convenient sizes, beginning or ending with a lake. The first section, from the Baltic to Lake Roxen, has 15 locks and 7 bridges. After entering the system at Mem you\u2019ll find the charming town of S\u00f6derkoping 3nm up the canal. There is a well-equipped marina here and a charming waterside scene of shops, bars and restaurants. In high summer expect lots of outdoor drinking, live music and dancing. We enjoyed a lovely waterside meal before casting off the following day for Norsholm, 12nm and 12 locks away. It was in this stretch that we really learned to \u2018lock up\u2019 as it is called, and how we became closely acquainted (for better or worse) with the three boats in our \u2018convoy\u2019, one Finnish, one German and one Swedish. Right outside S\u00f6derkoping are four single locks followed by two doubles, and by the time we had navigated our way through we had learned the ropes, so to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n