The Draken Harald Hårfagre, a 115-foot-long oaken sailing ship with a traditional dragon figurehead, has set sail from Norway to recreate Leif Erikson’s dubious voyage to the New World. The crew plans to visit Iceland and Greenland, as well as making plenty of stops in Vinland, the Viking name for North America.
Named after the first king of Norway, Harald Fairhair, the Draken is the largest Viking ship built in modern times and was constructed completely by hand. Though the ship's crafters chose not to forego modern navigation, communication and safety equipment for their journey, the majority of the ship’s construction remained true to Viking-era craftsmanship. They even made 25 pairs of oars to help them sail when the winds don’t favor their route.
The ship is crewed by just 32 individuals chosen from a pool of nearly 4,000 volunteers from several nations.
The ship's journey began Saturday with a “Dragon’s Head Ceremony” in Haugesund, Norway. The crew hopes to reach their final festival destination in Duluth, Minn., around August 18.
Other American sites the Draken plans to visit include Fairport Harbor, Ohio; Bay City, Mich.; Chicago, Ill.; and Green Bay, Wisc.
The crew also plan to visit New York City by traveling the city's canals, but only after they have visited all of the Tall Ship celebrations throughout the Great Lakes.
If you’re close by and want to see the ship with your own eyes, follow their voyage here so you can plan a day trip with your family.
Watch the ship's captain, Björn Ahlander, talk about how the crew will be handling the ship: