The Falsterbo canal

The fairway is 27 kilometer long and the canal through the Falsterbo isthmus is 1 600 meters.
Max free height with the bridge closed is 3,9 meters. Free height when the bridge is opened.
The canal has a rather long lock. It is 1 000 meter between the gates. At extreme weather conditions the water level in the Baltic sea and the Sound may differ up to 1 meter. At conditions like that the stream in the canal may be so strong that boats can not pass the canal. The lock was built to simplify passage at conditions like that.
From the beginning max draught in the canal was 6,7 meters but due to drfiting sand south of the canal draught is now limited to 4 meter, This limited draught has decreased commercial shipping. Earlier ships up to 15 000 tons could pass, now the limit is 5 000 tons.

From January 1st 2003 the draught is limited to 4 meters. From the same date the bridge is only opened at fixed times, once per hour during daytime. This is due to increased traffic on the road.

The control tower and the new bridge	Pleasureboats in the canal	View eastwards in the canal

© Pictures by Ingemar Nordlund, 1999

Total length	Total elevation	Number of locks	Max boatlength	Max boatwidth	Max draught	Max free height	Max speed
1,6 km	0 m	1	- m	24,8 m	4 m	3,9 m	5 knots

History:
In 1884 Mårten Dahn petitioned in parliament for a canal through the Falsterbo isthmus, but nothing happened. So in 1896 fishermen from Skanör started to dig a canal, but they were unable to complete.
During World War I a canal here was discussed again, but nothing happened until Germany in November 1939 mined the sea outside Falsterbo. The Swedish parliament decided in December 1939 to build a canal and the works started immediately.
On July 21 1941 water flowed through the canal for the first time and on August 1 the first ship, Ldf Malmö, could pass through with several Swedish ministers onboard. A few months later the first commercial ship was allowed to pass and a year later the canal was completed. The cost was 21 million SEK.
In 1941 323 shipps passed the canal and in 1942 5 191 ships, which well proves the necessity of the canal.
Today close to 15 000 boats pass the canal every year, but mainly pleasure boats.
A new control tower was built in 1955 and a new bridge in 1993.

Getting close to the canal from north	In the northern harbour	At the bridge

© Pictures by Bosse Arnholm, 2004

The bridge and the northern gate seen from south	The southern gate see from north	The southern gate see from south	The southern entrance to the canal

© Pictures by Bosse Arnholm, 2004

Military stories:
By the end of the 1950ies the frigate Mode passed the canal at very high speed. A number of small boats moored by the canal were crashed by the wakes.

Another story about the same officer.
He ordered either Magne or Munin to pass a narrow passage in the Stockholm archipelago at highest possible speed. At the trial afterwards he claimed that they were simulating an aerial attack, which made it necessary to run as fast as possible.
At 25 knots they passed a couple of ladies washing carpets at a low bridge, and he yelled to them: "If you clean, we'll wash!".
The ladies fell into the water and the carpets all dissappeared.

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