The Viking Seafaring Tradition Lives On

By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life
Top Photo: Peder Jacobsson

Whether you know them through movies, TV shows or history books, the Vikings have earned their reputations as fierce warriors, merchants and seafarers par excellence. They explored and settled parts of North America some 500 years before Columbus, and today we are still in awe of their accomplishments.

So skilled were the Vikings at navigation and ship building, some refer to them as the "rocket scientists of their time."

One person who wants to preserve their legacy is Norwegian billionaire Sigurd Aase. In 2008, he funded the effort to build the Draken Harald Hårfagre -- "the largest operational Viking longship built in modern history." The historically accurate, 115-foot ship was built to show how the Vikings mastered long ocean voyages and retrace Leif Erikson's voyage across the North Atlantic.

Employing some of Scandinavia's finest master shipbuilders, construction on the Draken Harald Hårfagre -- the name translates to "The Dragon Harald Fairhair" -- started in 2010 in Haugesund, Norway. Made of oak and Douglas fir, it has a crew of 30-35 people and a capacity for 100 rowers, although it is equipped with modern engines. Its top speed under sail is 14 knots.

Launched in 2012, followed by several years of testing and learning, its first major expedition was to the United Kingdom in 2014, where the ship experienced a broken mast in open water that led to reconstruction work and other refinements. In 2016, following in the footsteps of the Viking explorers, she undertook "Expedition America," crossing the North Atlantic via Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland, and continuing through Canada, the Great Lakes, and into New York harbor.

During a 2018 tour of 16 ports on the the U.S. East Coast, the ship hosted thousands of visitors, and from 2016-2024, she was home ported at Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut. The subject of documentaries, this summer the ship will make her big screen debut in Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey." While the Viking longship was built many centuries after Homer's Greece epic, it's been cited that it conveys a realism not possible with CGI effects, and Nolan utilized its real crew along with extras.

 At the helm of the Draken Harald Hårfagre is Captain Björn Ahlander, a Swedish master mariner well acquainted with historical ships, who previously helped in the design and construction of the Götheborg, a replica of the 18th-century Swedish East India Company trading ship.
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In an interview, Ahlander talked about his experiences on the Draken Harald Hårfagre:

Under construction (Photos: Peder Jacobsson)

On the open sea (Peder Jacobsson)

The crew at work (David Nelson)

Draken Harald Hårfagre Captain Björn Ahlander (Peder Jacobsson)

Credit: Viking Nilsson

Credit: Viking Nilsson

In New York harbor (Peder Jacobsson)

Credit: Getty Images

Credit: Viking Nilsson

Q. You have a long history with historical ships, including playing a key role in the design and construction of the Götheborg. What drives your interest in preserving the ships of the past?

A. My interest was sparked when I was very young. It was probably because my father went to sea very young and so did my two older brothers. My first sailing ship was a four-masted barque that I signed on as early as 1969. I have since sailed a large number of different sailing ships in various capacities. From the late 1970s onwards I had been captain, mate and riggingmaster on various ocean-going school ships.

Q. What led you to accepting the role of captain of the Draken Harald Hårfagre?

A. I was asked about the position 14 days after my retirement from the East Indiaman Götheborg in 2012. Dragon Harald Hårfagre was then completely newly built and untested. I was a little skeptical but promised to go up to Norway to see the ship. During the first trial sailings I was impressed by how fast and well she sailed. At the same time, she was not easy to maneuver, make tackles, reef, and so on. I understood that it would be a big challenge for the crew and me but after a while I accepted. That decision caused me many tough challenges but also a lot of joy.

Q. What are the challenges of piloting a Viking-era ship on the North Atlantic and open seas?

A. Me and the crew I selected faced major challenges long before we sailed across the North Atlantic towards Vinland. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, we learned to handle the world's largest Viking ship, which proved to be a challenge for me and my crew. The challenge was and remains to handle a completely open ship and learn to handle all types of winds and different sea conditions. It took us three years of sailing, including sailing across the North Sea to the British Isles, before we began to master Draken Harald Hårfagre. We went through these years, several tough events and challenges, including breaking the entire rig off the coast of Scotland in 2014. We had to make a new mast, by hand, in order to sail back to Norway.

Q. Why is the preservation of Viking seafaring so important?

A. To prove the Vikings' amazing ability to explore lands and seas and discover "new continents". We faced a lot of doubts before our expedition in 2016. Afterwards, we were praised for a well-executed expedition, but it was not just luck. We learned from the Vikings' routes, their knowledge of prevailing winds and currents, and the best time of year to sail to Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland. Thanks to the brave Vikings and this amazing ship, we dared to sail in the footsteps of Leif Eriksson through one of the most dangerous waters in the world.

Q. I understand the actual crew of the Draken Harald Hårfagre was used in the filming of The Odyssey. What was that experience like for the crew?

A. Fantastic!

Q. How can someone volunteer to work on the Draken Harald Hårfagre, what qualifications are required and is it open to both men and women?

​A. Interested, used to team work, good health, prepared for hard work under primitive living conditions. Respect for your shipmates of both sexes.

Q. Describe your feelings when you first sailed the Draken Harald Hårfagre into New York harbor.

A. Gratitude, relief and immense joy!

Q. Having commanded a Viking-era ship, do you have a deeper appreciation for what the Vikings accomplished, and what lessons can it teach us today?

A. Humility and respect for their knowledge and ability; we have lost a lot of knowledge when we only read weather reports and blindly trust electronic aids.

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