Historic Vessels

Viking

The discovery of Gokstad, a ninth-century being lifted clear of the waves on several Viking ship, prompted the construction occasions. After reaching Newfoundland, of a replica with the aim of showing that Andersen sailed up the Hudson River, European visitors could have reached and then on to Chicago via the Erie Canal America well before Colombus did. More and the Great Lakes. On the day Viking specifically, a 78ft (24m) long 17ft (5.2m) reached the windy city, attendance at the wide vessel to be called Viking was built Exposition doubled. at Rødsvernen ship yard in Sandefjord to Following a successful appearance in lend weight to the theory of Lief Ericsson Chicago, Viking sailed to New Orleans, having discovered the New World. What where she spent a winter. In 1920, back in is more, Viking’s voyage was timed to coincide with the commemoration of the discovery of America by Columbus at the The Viking at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893. Source: www.wikipedia.org Chicago restoration work was carried out. However, there followed a long period of neglect. Fortunately, a non-profit World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. organisation called Friends of the Viking Ship has stepped in Under the command of Captain Magnus Andersen, whose and now Viking stands at Good Templar Park in Illinois with a crew was from Bergen, Viking sailed up the Norwegian coast brighter future. before crossing to America. The dramatic voyage saw the ship Sources: www.vikingship.us, www.oldsaltblog.com

Tilikum

In 1901, John Voss purchased a 38-foot binnacle and compass were lost, leaving red cedar Nootkan war canoe for $80 Voss to navigate by ancient methods. worth of silver. Together with his partner, Tilikum arrived in Melbourne on 13th Norman Luxton, in their proposed maritime March 1902. With the help of Australian venture, Voss had the dugout converted yachtsmen, Voss made repairs and into a schooner with 230sq ft (21m 2 ) of sail. fitted new sails so as to be able to reach Once the conversion had been completed, England. Captain Voss left Oak Bay harbour in In September 1904, Tilikum beached British Columbia with Luxton and his crew in the River Thames. The converted bound for the Indian Ocean via Australia. schooner changed hands several times in After five months at sea, Tilikum hit a reef and Norman Luxton was thrown overboard. Tilikum at Margate with Captain John Voss standing at the bow. Source: en.wikipedia.org the English capital prior to being taken to Victoria, British Columbia, where she was Although he suffered lacerations, he was able to resume his restored in 1936. Today, Tilikum can be seen at the Ogden Point duties as master until Suva, Fiji, where he was forced to leave cruise ship terminal in Victoria BC. the expedition. On the next leg of the voyage to Australia, the Source: en.wikipedia.org

Kon-Tiki

While doing research in the Marquesas deck together with other species of fish Islands in 1937, Thor Heyerdal developed attracted by the seaweed and shellfish an ethnological theory that the first growing under Kon-Tiki provided most settlers in Polynesia came from pre-Incan of the sustenance required. However, not Peru via Easter Island on rafts around 500 all fish were welcome as visitors like the AD. Although such a voyage was deemed great white sharks that caused the crew impossible, Heyerdal was spurred on to to become extremely anxious. test his theory by both his belief in it and On the 93rd day, palm trees were sighted the inspiration he got from the voyages of but the prevailing winds and currents Viking and Tilikum. made it impossible to reach land. A week Heyerdal’s raft comprised 9 balsawood Expedition across the Pacific 1947 later, a reef was spotted, but the weather logs lashed together with hemp ropes and Sources: www.kon-tiki.no, www.history.com, www.youtube.com caused chaos, snapping the mast and a bamboo cabin covered with banana leaves. The 30ft x 15 (9m forcing the crew to hold on for dear life. Eventually, after 101 x 4.5m) craft was christened Kon-Tiki after the Peruvian sun days at sea, Kon-Tiki arrived at Roroia atoll in the Tuamoto god prior to leaving Callao on 25th April 1947 with six men and Archipelago near Tahiti, 4300 miles from Callao. a talking green parrot aboard. Just as Thor Heyerdal had been inspired by earlier voyages, The relatively large sail helped trade winds push the raft across he inspired others to replicate his voyage, which was recorded the water. A sail paddle and steering oar allowed the crew to in a best-selling book and two films shot in 1951 and 2012. manoeuvre the craft through waves that often dwarfed the Today, the world famous raft is on display at the Kon-Tiki small vessel, while the sun, stars, currents and winds provided Musuem in Oslo. navigational data. As for food, flying fish that landed on the Sources: www.kon-tiki.no, www.history.com, www.youtube.com