Friends of the Viking Ship

05/31/2026

May 31, 1893
During her long voyage, 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 had literally turned white from the sea water. When the weather permitted, the crew took to scraping the ship from "fore to aft, inboard and outboard." Crew member Rasmus Rasmussen writes: "Wednesday, May 31, arrived with dead calm, so the scraping continued and the carpenter planed the oars until they shone. Everything was lying in complete disorder on board. The nights were still very cold, chiefly because of the constant fog around the Newfoundland banks."

05/30/2026

The long-held traditional narrative of Norway's birth might be wrong, as historians reveal that the legendary Viking Battle of Hafrsfjord lacks both archaeological evidence and contemporary records, making it more of a medieval political myth than a grand unification.

It's not even clear whether the Battle of Hafrsfjord was actually a battle, who fought in it, or what they were fighting over.

05/30/2026

May 30, 1893
Crew member Rasmussen writes, "On the 30th, we got into a sailing race with the 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘢, from Kristiania. Captain Nelson of the 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘢 later wrote about the race in a Tønsberg newspaper, describing the boat they were allowed to visit.
'It was covered with a tarpaulin from fore to aft...We were allowed to look below... they lived amidships under the tarpaulin. Boards were put up about two feet wide, which served as bunks where four men could sleep. They were well supplied with bedclothes: for each man there was a reindeer skin, a blanket, and an oilskin bag to creep into. A table was nailed down before the mast. This is where food was served.

We must not forget the brave 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 steward who had his post behind the mast. The galley was of galvanized iron, and the steward had his bunk beside it. It was very cold down there. But the “Vikings” were merry fellows; they bowed their violins and drank the 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 beer most heartily. At noon we were invited for dinner. We were served milk-gruel, pancakes, meat-patties and 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 beer—a splendid meal....At 3:00 P.M., we were served coffee, which tasted just as delicious as the dinner. The wind began to blow, so we said goodbye to the “Vikings” with many mutual wishes of good luck. The 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 flew like a feather on its proud journey, while the 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘢 went on her way.'"

05/29/2026

May 29, 1893
News reaches San Francisco that 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 is safe and sighted off the coast of Newfoundland. This revives the question--given 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨's accomplishment--whether the Vikings could have indeed reached North America almost 500 years before Columbus. In the 1890s, historians still had "cautious reservations" about such a claim since no archeological proof had yet been uncovered.

05/28/2026

May 28, 1893
After two anxious weeks without a word, a telegram finally confirms that the 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 and her crew are safe and just off the Newfoundland coast!

05/27/2026

In 1960, the archeological remains of a Viking settlement were discovered in Newfoundland at L'Anse aux Meadows, proving definitively that the Vikings actually did reach North America. The only "evidence" up to this point were the accounts recorded in the ancient sagas. Sixty-seven years before this discovery, upon reaching the coast of Newfoundland, the crew of 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 proved--for the first time ever--that such a voyage was indeed possible with a Viking ship. What is even more remarkable is that she was a replica of the Gokstad, which was not designed for long ocean voyages.

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows?fbclid=IwAR1Wy3Wagu6Pgq9TcXwZ61rdtZp8MW9g2JXsW7oytrBw-cXPMi727xdqobQ

05/27/2026

May 27, 1893
After 28 days at sea, the 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 crew sees the coast of Newfoundland. Rasmussen writes: "At 3:00 A.M., we saw Baccalieu Island in the horizon. At noon we saw Cape Spear and then St. John’s. We were straight across from St. John’s, but it was too far to row...we lay there in complete calm, and drifted."

The crew--like the Vikings of old--had finally reached the coast of North America! This was the first replica Viking ship to ever do so. In the words of Captain Andersen: "On Saturday, May 27, we bypassed Newfoundland, completing the course taken by our countrymen one millennium earlier."

05/26/2026

May 26, 1893
Rasmussen writes of continued progress toward the North American coast: "Friday, May 26, came with good wind, so we could keep our course. During midwatch, it died down, and then we sighted a lighthouse straight ahead.... At 4:00 P.M., sailing along the channel, we sighted four icebergs. We tried to sail closer to land, but that was impossible, as it was too calm."

Captain Andersen would add in his book, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙑𝙞𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙑𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙜𝙚: 𝘼𝙣 𝙄𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙑𝙞𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙥'𝙨 𝙑𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝘼𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙩𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘, "it is not pleasant at all to sail between icebergs, and we were therefore also happy when we got out of this water in one piece. Even with the greatest care, one can never be sure not to collide with them, and a collision with an iceberg is generally considered worse than any other kind of collision."

05/24/2026

𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 Facts & Figures: The tiller currently displayed with the ship is not the original, but one hand carved by Peter Kenar (seen below with FOVS board member Bruce Andresen) back in 2015 based on images from the Gokstad ship. The original was sacrificed back in the early 1900's to create "souvenir" gavels for Crown Prince Olav of Norway and at least one other dignitary. Thankfully, such "gifts" were few and far between, or there wouldn't be much left our ship today for visitors to enjoy!

05/23/2026

Rasmussen writes about the next ship encountered on their voyage: "At about 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, May 23, we sighted a steamer straight ahead. It was from the same place, with the same owners, as the large 𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘢 we hailed last Saturday. But now we did not meet the same goodwill and graciousness. First it looked as if the ship intended to run straight across the little 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. It came so close aft that a man could easily have jumped aboard 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. Captain Andersen asked if he would do us the favor of taking along letters.
'It is too late,' came the answer.
The captain then shouted, 'Will you report us?'
'Yes,' was the answer, and with that he disappeared without even slackening his speed. Poor man, he must have been in a hurry."