Norwegian Viking ship quits voyage

DRAKEN HARALD HÅRFAGREViking ship. DRAKEN HARALD HÅRFAGRE

The Norwegian Viking ship Draken Harald concludes its Tallship-sailing in Green Bay, Wisc after the unforeseen navigator-taxes in the United States.

– We are so happy and grateful that we got all the way from Norway, across the Atlantic, through the sea of St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes. It has been a modern Viking voyage writes the expedition on their websites.

Despite the fact that the total sum was reduced from 430,000 to $ 250,000 – over 2 million kroner – the Viking ship did not collect enough money to pay for the required navigator. Interest organization for Norwegian Americans, Sons of Norway, initiated a fund drive for the ship.

It came then from Bay City to Chicago and to Green Bay, where the voyage now ends. The plan was that Draken would sail on to Duluth, Minnesota.

– This is where the Scandinavian society was strongest and most committed to helping our ship from the start and it is a disappointment we are not to be able to sail there, says captain Björn Ahlander.

Draken Harald, the world’s largest Viking ship set out from home port Haugesund on 24 April this year. Along the way it has been through Iceland and Greenland. The ship will come to New York in mid-September.

Draken Harald was launched in 2012 and is built with Olav Tryggvason fabled warship Ormen Lange from year 999 as a template.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today