Saturday, June 4, 2016

Voyage of the Dragon

For the first time in many years, a Viking longship has crossed the North Atlantic. The Draken Harald Hårfagre reached port of St. Anthony in Newfoundland on June 1st. It was not an easy voyage. There’s only a short window in late spring and early summer when crossing the frigid waters of the North Atlantic is possible, and even then conditions are challenging, to put it mildly.

 Norway to Lerwick, Shetland.

Shetland to Faroe



Wedding at Halsey, Greenland



On May 27th, the Draken set a course for North America. The final leg from Greenland to Newfoundland proved the most difficult. Icebergs, dense fog, harsh and unpredictable winds put the Draken‘s crew of 32 volunteers to the test. Modern water-repellant clothing could not keep them dry, and layers of thick knit sweaters could not keep them warm, but the elements could not break them either. On Wednesday they reached Newfoundland, landing near L’Anse aux Meadows where the remains of a Viking settlement were discovered in 1960.
Soon the valiant Draken and its riders will head inland for Quebec City and its summer tour of the Great Lakes and canals.

 Hat tip: The History Blog
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8 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 4, 2016 at 4:04 PM

    Their ancestors hang their battle scarred heads in shame...electronics...

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    1. c w swansonJune 4, 2016 at 5:55 PM

      I know! On the other hand, it's a very dangerous sea there in the North Atlantic, and they probably couldn't justify the risk they would take with the crew's lives without them.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJune 4, 2016 at 6:19 PM

      You said it all. no one takes risks like The Old Ones. Oh well, their bravery and skill no longer exists. Only safety and backups for backups. It died with Kon Tiki's crew

      Delete
  2. Home on the RangeJune 4, 2016 at 6:38 PM

    My great Uncle was Scandinavian and a seafarer. Unfortunately he's famous for running his ship, the Marie Bakke, into a bridge in Portland Oregon, not to do damage to the ship but enough to tie up traffic for a few hours.

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    1. c w swansonJune 4, 2016 at 7:04 PM

      That's classic! He probably had years of safe and sane seamanship, but everybody remembers that damn bridge!

      Delete
  3. AnonymousJune 4, 2016 at 7:27 PM

    Before the Draken, there was the Hjemkomst. Not as big or technically advanced, but more old school Nautica. My Great Grandparents came from Trondheim, Norway so, I have a sense of pride about these ships, their builders and crew.

    http://www.hcscconline.org/current-exhibits/hjemkomst-viking-ship/

    ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StrQ1vEENms...

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  4. LLJune 5, 2016 at 3:10 AM

    I would have made the journey on the dragon ship -- but it would have been much more fun to plunder a few monasteries in England and then sail back to Norway for wenches, ale and boasting.

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  5. RobertJune 5, 2016 at 9:00 AM

    Yup! (L L)

    ReplyDelete

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