Sweden

Gota Canal, Sweden

After a very enjoyable stay in Norway, Ruda headed back down Oslofjord before turning east to follow the border that separates Norway from Sweden, and which runs down the middle of Idefjorden. Here she moored alongside an abandoned quay from where, early last century, faultless 920 million year old granite had been shipped to decorate the sober facade of Cézar Ritz’ new London hotel. Rather unexpectedly the quay was home to a British telephone box, perhaps a gift of gratitude for that perfect rock?

Navigating by now late in the season, Ruda seemed to have the coast to herself so she took some time to dawdle through the islands and skerries of the Bohuslän archipelago. Here she passed idyllic, warm and sunny autumnal weeks soundly attached to the pink granite rocks with the crew’s climbing equipment, her keel well within the uncharted waters of the 2m contour line.

Her crew spent that time sailing their dinghy around the newly inaugurated Koster Islands National Park, and paddling their kayak into secret places amongst the rocks, until the chills of winter gradually became more insistent and it was time to seek out somewhere to pass the coming winter. A very comfortable berth was secured ashore at the old Nötesund’s shipyard on Vindö island where Ruda stayed until the snow melted, and further adventure beckoned.

As soon as she was launched, she retraced her previous route to Gothenburg (Göteborg) before turning east and north onto the Trollhätte canal. She had made a very brisk start from her winter quarters, and so was ready and waiting before the lower gates as the Dalsland Canal system opened to admit the first boat of the season.

There to record this apparently important event was a journalist, which resulted in a very sociable few weeks for Ruda as everybody seemed to know her! They had all read his newspaper article about Ruda following in the wake of Englishman Roger Pilkington, author of the charming “Small Boat Through Sweden” in which he describes his adventures in the Commodore. Although published back in 1961, and in English only, most people in the area seemed to have read it, and the unusual sight of a red ensign in the canal brought many to visit.

In his 1961 book, Pilkington describes a young man named Bernt Quist who writes a note suggesting some rewarding destinations for the crew of the visiting Commodore, and posts it through a porthole. When Ruda arrived at the end of the Dalsland, Bernt, at over 80 years of age, was the keeper of the last (manual) lock on the canal, and to the crew’s delight was still inclined to leave notes on British cruising boats. 

From Dalsland, Ruda completed her crossing of Sweden from the west coast to the east by way of lakes Vänern and Vättern, and the Göta Canal to leave the last lock at Mem and head north into the Stockholm archipelago. 

In Stockholm, still hungry to explore more of the country, Ruda turned her bows west into Lake Mälaren, and from there tiptoed along the rather small-gauge Hjalemäre Canal to the historic city of Örebro.

Back in Stockholm that autumn, Ruda’s charm managed to secure her a berth among the historic boats based on Skeppsholmen island in the very heart of that lovely city, where she enjoyed several weeks in the company of new friends. Eventually though, as the approaching winter began to lay a mantle of ice over the harbour, Ruda headed back out to sea to find herself a winter home ashore on the island of Ljusterö.