Sot channels
Sotenkanalen ( German Sotenkanal ) is a 4.8 km long canal between Smögen / Kungshamn and Hunnebostrand on the Swedish west coast.
If the specially built access roads to the canal are added, this reaches a total length of about six kilometers, without this the canal is 4.8 km long. The canal was built between 1931 and 1935. Gustav Adolf , Crown Prince of Sweden, opened the Soten Canal on July 15, 1935. When the canal was built, the western flank of the Sotenäs peninsula became the island of Söö.
The width of the canal is 15 meters, the maximum possible draft 4.5 meters. By erecting a swing bridge over the canal, there are no restrictions on the headroom.
Reasons to build
There were essentially two reasons for the construction of the Soten Canal. The first reason was the often dangerous current and wind conditions in the northern Skagerrak . These conditions, which are difficult to assess, together with the granite rocks of the archipelago, which are often just below the water level, led to many ship accidents. The second reason was the massive rise in unemployment in the region known for stone construction. During the four years of building the canal, around 200 previously unemployed stone workers were employed. Many residents of Bohuslän Province still refer to the construction of the canals as a huge job creation measure .
Importance of the channel
Due to the increasing size of commercially used ships, the Soten Canal is of little importance, and the destination ports of Smögen, Kungshamn and Hunnebostrand are of little economic importance.
However, the canal is important for Swedish tourism. It is described by sailors as one of the highlights of a Skagerrak trip. This is reflected in the number of ship passages. While only around 10,000 ships passed the canal in the opening year, there are now around 60,000.
The construction of the canal brought numerous archaeologically important finds to light. Among other things, several grave sites around 2000 years old, a flute made from animal bones, a clay vessel and the fossilized skeleton of a giant alk were discovered.
Web links
- Bosse Arnholm: Sotenkanalen. North alla kanaler. Retrieved August 9, 2013 (Swedish).