Practical information

The gates are built of steel. When these two locks have been passed, the boat will have been lifted to 15,3 metres above the sea. Now the journey on the waterway can continue to Notodden or through the locks to Dalen.
The locks in the upper part of the Canal are operated in the same way as they were at the opening of the Canal more than 100 years ago. Gates and hatches are opened and closed manually.

There are service operators at all the locks. A considerable amount of timber floating still takes place on the lower part of the waterway - more accurately in Skien and Løveid. The Telemark Canal is the only canal in Europe where timber is still floated.

Telemark County Council is the owner of The Telemark Canal.

Highest measurement

Other maximum measurements for traffic on the Canal:

Unshipping the masts
At Stathelle Marina, before Brevik Bridge, there is a crane for unshipping the masts. The crane lifts 750 kg. Tel. +47.... The crane at Notodden Motorboat Society’s pier at Notodden can also be used for unshipping masts.

Bridges
Porsgrunn bridges have a free height below the arch at normal water level, of 13 and 8 metres respectively. (The northern one has an 8 m free height). When you wish to pass under the bridge, please get in touch by VHF-radio telephone Channel 12 or ring +47.... The bridge is operated day and night.

Sundkil bridge before Kviteseid (swing bridge) has 4 m sailing height. The bridge is manned and can be opened for passage during 09.00 - 11.00hrs and 16.00 - 18.00hrs. For enquiries about operation/opening of Sundkil bridge, ring. +47....

Maps and markings
There is a complete boat sport map for the Canal waterway. The map can be purchased at Skien locks and from certain bookshops.

Boat owners with VHF-equipment can contact all the locks in The Telemark Canal on Channel 9. Passenger boats on the waterway also use Channel 9. You can also ring the locks. See separate telephone list.

The fairway is market by red poles on the port (left) side, as seen in counter current direction, and white poles on the starboard (right) side. Where the poles stand alone, it is suitable to keep a distance of 3-5 m. Where the poles are placed in gates, hold a middle course. The poles can become dislodged. Navigation must therefore be based on maps.
On locks and canal stretches, the new rule applies that the highest permitted speed is 5 knots within a distance of 50 metres from land. Generally, you must take care concerning other traffic and boats lying alongside piers/land on the waterway. In Nome Municipality there is a speed limit of 5 knots up to 100 m from land, also on the large lakes.

Drinking water
The whole of the Canal waterway - especially Norsjø - provides drinking water for large groups of the population. Please take note of this, and remember that it is forbidden to empty septic tanks in the waterway. Always empty your septic tank before you travel up the Canal waterway, and use the toilets on land as much as possible.

Toilets are placed in the following natural harbours:

• Sandodden in lower part of Norsjø
• On the rocks between large and small Munken in the lower part of Norsjø
• At Valøya’s western side in the middle of Norsjø
• Kalvodde, common area in upper part of Norsjø
• Ottersnesodden west, slightly north of the lighthouse in the upper part of Norsjø
• At Lauvvik island at the top of Bandak

«Early birds» find life easier on Canal trips
The passenger boats run at regular intervals and have priority for lock transit, due to published timetables. If you wish to avoid delay, it is best to begin your trip when the locks open in the morning. This is especially the case in Vrangfoss.

Some boat tourists become annoyed if they find that they are not allowed through the locks in turn. Due to capacity it is often best to take two up and down lock transitions after each other. It takes times to "adjust the water" for the transition from higher to lower levels. The choice of lock direction is also connected to the timetable of the passenger boats in regular route.

At Vrangfoss it can be difficult to organize the passage of leisure craft during a four-hour period in the middle of the day (11.00-15.00 hrs). Therefore queues can form. This is because the passenger boats have four passages through Vrangfoss during this period.
See timetable for the passenger boats.

Meeting passenger boats
Leisure craft which lie at guest/waiting piers when the passenger boats pass, must be securely moored both fore and aft. There are waves and suction as the vessels pass.
Leisure craft must not moor or wait in the narrow over and under canals at the locks when passenger boats are expected. If you are in doubt, contact the lock keepers via VHF or telephone.
Tourists in leisure craft must be prepared for some delay. The lock keeper’s assessments and decisions must take several matters into account. Our advice is therefore: Have patience, and don’t arrange too tight a schedule.

Telephone numbers:

Fishing
There are plenty of fish in the Canal waterway. Fishing licenses for Norsjø can be purchased from Grenland Grenland Tourist Office at Hjellebrygga. The license allows fishing by rod, from land and boat, for salmon and sea trout. Here you can also purchase fishing licenses for salmon fishing from Langebryggene piers in Skien.
The Tourist Office at Dalen sells fishing licenses for fishing in Bandak and Kviteseid lakes.

Emergencynumbers
Fire: 110, Police 112, Ambulance 113. To the police switchboard: 02800

*) All the locs in the upper part of the canal are in Nome.