The canals in Helsinki
Helsingin kanavat

Degerö canal
The canal was originally called Klubbnäs canal. Today it is also called Laajasalo canal.
The fairways eastwards from Helsinki were very troublesome. Between the mainland and Laajasalo island was the sounds of Hertonäs and Klubbnäs. These had been filled at the end of the 18th century. The owner of Botby estate made a petition for a canal here, but the petition was not accepted. Some the landowners decided to build and pay for the canal themselves.
The plan was to build a canal 5 feet deep and 15 feet wide. The works started in 1872. In 1873 the landowners asked the government for tools, a foreman and money. This was accepted and the canal was finished in 1874. It was about 120 meters long.
The canal was improved i 1885 and dredged in 1895. Today it is 0,9 meter deep and only used by pleasureboats.
Source: Myllykylä T. Suomen kanavien historia. Helsinki: Otava; 1991.

Hästnäs canal
Hevossalmi, Hästnäs sound, was a narrow part of the fairway eastwards from Helsinki. The sea officer union asked for a canal through the istmus of Hevossaari island and this petition was granted. The canal was aimed for shipping and therefore built 3,5 meter deep and 11,9 meter wide.
The canal was opened early in the 1882 season. About 60 meter long. Today it is 2,4 meter deep.
Source: Myllykylä T. Suomen kanavien historia. Helsinki: Otava; 1991.

Tammelund canal
The shallow sound between Strömsviken and Poroviken was canalized in 1762 by Bengt von Spången, owner of Hertonäs Estate. His plan was to make this shortcut into Helsinki for fishermen from Borgå and that the fee from the passing boats should pay the canal.
Streams made the canal more and more narrow each year and it finally became impossible to sail through. In 1794 traffic was stopped and it was filled by the new owner of Hertonäs, Carl Olof Cronstedt.
In the 1950:ies residents in the area asked for the canal to be opened again. And 50 years later their dream came true. The canal was restored in 2001. Now only for rowboats and canoes. It is 170 meters long and 4 meters wide.
Source: Wikipedia and Jan Strang

Gräsviken canal
This is a fairly new canal in Helsinki. It was built in the early 1990ies together with the new Gräsviken residential area. Here used to be a harbour, industries and warehouses. The canal connects Gräsviken to Sandviken. There are several new high houses in the area.
Gräsviken canal is rather small and only canoes and small open boats can pass as the bridges are too low. The canal is 600 meters long and about 30 meters wide. There are mooring places for pleasureboats along the canal. Swimming competitions are arranged in the canal every summer. It is situated close to the Helsinki Western Harbour.
Source: Wikipedia

Tarmo Hurskainen © 2005 och 2006

More pictures from Degerö canal. © Picture: Pekka Lappalainen	More pictures from the Skatudden canal. © Picture: Mika Muhli	Picture from: Wikipedia Map of Gräsviken canal

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