We had heard about this ship, the Viking ship Draken, that was about to arrive in Boothbay Harbor, but not really sure what to expect. Many people were talking about it. So, we did what everyone does in this age, we Googled it! It appeared that it is the largest Viking ship ever built in modern times and it was sailing into Boothbay Harbor!
This massive recreation of the Viking’s large wooden ship was due into town at 4pm on Friday, so we drove into town at 3pm, found a suitable parking place for the big red truck, then walked down a few blocks to the harbor.
The crowd was just beginning to form, so we staked out a place by the wharf railing and waited for this sailing Viking wonder. It was built over a few years starting in 2010 and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 2016.
Can you imagine being out on the ocean in this ship duplicated from a design of 1,000 years ago? Here are a few facts:
- 260 sq meters square sail
- Sails with 32 sailors
- 115 feet long
- 26 feet wide
- 79 foot tall mast
- Made entirely from oak, tar, hemp, iron, silk (Douglas fir mast)
- Includes 25 pair of oars
- Built using techniques and tools from yesterday
For more detailed information, visit their website at https://www.drakenhh.com/facts/
The Draken will only be in Boothbay Harbor for a couple of days, then she sails into their next exhibition port. I’m glad we happened to cross paths.
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That would have been rugged, even in calm seas. It’s a beautiful looking ship!
Yes, that is for sure!
If you haven’t looked at the Draken ship Facebook page to watch the video, you’re really missing something. Trying to imagine what it was like, but my modem mind cannot. The words, ‘fridged’, ‘rough’, ‘arduous work’, comes to the top, but that is still not good enough to begin to describe their experience at sea.
I have not seen their Facebook page, but will go there next. Thanks for the tip!
Looks like fun to me!!
I think that you guys would enjoy it here.