The Telemark Canal in southern Norway is 105 km (65 mi) long and connects the towns of Skien and Dalen by linking several long lakes. A series of 18 locks make it possible to deal with a difference in elevation of 72 metres (236 ft). At Vrangfoss -where we took these photos- is a staircase lock that consists of 5 chambers and a lifting height of 23 metres. The Henrik Ibsen is one of two riverboats that travel with tourists on the canal during the Summer season.
It must be an exiting adventure going through the locks for those on the ship, but for us on the quay it was also a spectacular sight. The water made lots of noise and look how deep they were.
It takes an hour for the ship to pass the Vrangfoss locks.
MS Henrik Ibsen is a historic Norwegian diesel-powered ship built in Sweden in 1907, then named SS Styrsö. After being adapted to canal traffic, it arrived at Telemark Canal in 1992 and was renamed MS Henrik Ibsen after the former steamship SS Henrik Ibsen, which also operated on the Telemark Canal from 1907 to 1919.
