Alpena’s Thunder Bay River became a stopping point for an extraordinary transatlantic voyage when the Draken Harald Hårfagre, described as the world’s largest Viking ship, moored there during its 2016 expedition to the United States.
Visit Alpena spoke with David Short, a member of the Viking Expedition America 2016 team, after the ship arrived. The visit offered a rare look at how a crew of 22 people lived, worked and passed the time aboard a vessel designed to resemble the ships of the Viking Era.
A three-month voyage from Norway
The ship and crew left Haugesund, Norway, on April 26 and had been sailing for about three months when they reached Alpena. The route included stops at the Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland before the expedition reached Canada on June 1. The Great Lakes were scheduled toward the end of June.
Because the ship was making numerous stops, the crew could not give one simple answer for how long a voyage from Norway to the United States would take. The expedition’s final stop was planned for Mystic, Connecticut, sometime in October, where the Draken would remain for the time being.
Life aboard the Draken
Short said the experience was enjoyable but left little room for personal space. With 22 people aboard, privacy was difficult to find. Meals were prepared in a small galley by a professional sea chef. The crew generally ate porridge or muesli for breakfast, soup or pasta for a hot lunch, and meat with potatoes in the evening.
The ship was built using extensive research into ancient Viking vessels, with its onboard features crafted to replicate the Viking period. During calm weather, crew members read, played a Viking board game similar to chess, played instruments, wrote songs and made music together. One of their favorites was “Bjorn in the U.S.A.,” named for Captain Bjorn and styled after Bruce Springsteen’s “The Boss.”
Rough weather and the journey ahead
Bad weather brought a more serious routine. Short said the crew put on survival suits several times, including one stretch lasting a day and a half. The suits can keep someone alive in frigid water for up to six hours while awaiting rescue, and the ship also carries life rafts.
When weather deteriorates, the crew’s approach is to “fall off” with the conditions and turn the ship away from the wind. The expedition team said videos of its worst weather were available on its website.
The Draken carried 12 nationalities, with most crew members Swedish or Norwegian. Short, who was from England and making his first trip to the United States, hoped to rent a Mustang and drive west to California after the Connecticut stop before returning home.
The ship’s name can be difficult for American English speakers to pronounce. “Draken” comes from the Norwegian word for dragon, while Harald Hårfagre was the king credited with unifying Norway; “Hårfagre” means “fair haired.”