DENMARK: Reconstructed viking ship sets off to retrace the voyages of the Nordic tribes

The departure of a reconstructed viking ship that aims to retrace the journeys and relive the experiences of the vikings celebrated with a fest at Roskilde's Viking Museum. A Viking ship on Sunday (July 1), set off for Dublin from the Danish port of Roskilde to retrace the voyages taken by the feared Nordic tribes who unleashed bloody raids on Ireland's shores 1,000 years ago. Crafted from the wood of 300 oak trees, the 30-metre long, 4-metre wide Sea Stallion of Glendalough is the world's largest reconstructed Viking vessel, its builders say. The event was accompanied by a viking market. Thousands of people came to watch blacksmiths, warriors, carpenters and bowmen do their best in bringing Roskilde back to the viking era. "I am here because I am a viking. And because we have to send this ship to Ireland today," said Tom Jarso who had a jewellery stall where he made everything according to old traditions. He explained his fascination for his ancestors, saying: "I think the vikings were people of the world. They travelled a lot and they knew everything about the known world at that time because they travelled round. So I think that vikings were these world people." The peaceful market was at times abrupted by clinging swords and the breaking sound of axes going through wooden shields. A raging battle between men of the king and two viking warriors raised laughs and cheers in the middle of the marketplace as actors did their best to knock each other out. The Sea Stallion crew of sixty-four Danes and one Irishman began a 1,000-nautical-mile journey to Ireland. One of them expressed his happiness to be a part of the project, saying: "Well it is a once in a life time opportunity. It is a great ship. It is an exciting voyage. It is a… I can't wait." He was also quick in pointing out that the voyage has little to do with ancient viking raids: "First of all I will be a sailor. A sailor on a boat that is extraordinary. It is a viking ship but I will not be a viking, the vikings lived a thousand years ago. No I will still be a Dane sailing an extraordinary ship." Captained by schoolteacher Carsten Hvid, the ship will use only oar and sail power in an attempt to make the trip in six weeks. "Right now the weather seems very good. We have got the wind with us for four or five days. We can get very far during these days", captain Carsten Hvid said. The original ship was constructed in Ireland in 1042 but sank 30 years later in Roskilde fjord, around 30 miles (50 km) south of Copenhagen, and lay there until excavation began in 1962. Carsten Hvid and his crew have sailed together for more than a year in preparation for the sail across the North Sea. "It is a reconstruction and not a copy. We have about twenty five percent of the real ship and then we have reconstructed the rest. And of course you can make it in different ways and this is our guess, our best guess. Now we are going out testing it in the waters it was built for," Hvid said. The project is a bid to answer questions about viking ship-building and travel. Like the vikings, the Sea Stallion crew will brave the elements and be put to the test of spending time at sea on an open deck, "This is an open boat. We are outside, in every kind of weather. We are very close, we have less than one square meter per person. For six weeks, in rain, day and night. When we throw up, when we eat when we sleep," captain Carsten Hvid said. Some 7,000 iron nails and rivets hold the ship together and there are 2 km of rope on board. With a top speed of 15-20 knots, it will face turbulent waters, biting winds and strong currents on it's way to Dublin.

ITN Source | July 4, 2007

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