The Sea Stallion is at sea again

Blown in to a nice little Irish port

For three days, the Sea Stallion has been waiting in Howth, north of Dublin, for a favourable wind. The sea has been like this every day. Photo: Kasper Thor Larsen.

2008-07-02

With southerly winds of 15–20 metres a second, there isn’t a soul out on the breakwaters of the pretty and pleasant coastal town of Howth, half an hour’s drive north of Dublin.

The Sea Stallion and its 61 crew members have been waiting here for a favourable wind ever since their festive departure from Dublin on Sunday – a wind that can take the Viking ship reconstruction round the south of England and home to Roskilde, where a huge celebration awaits them on 9th August.

The current weather forecast does predict a northerly wind blowing down the Irish Sea, but probably not until Saturday. Tomorrow (Thursday) the wind will be more unstable and changeable, so the Sea Stallion will probably not leave Howth before Friday or Saturday.

“When the more stable northerly wind comes, we can strike a course due south between Ireland and Wales”, says the skipper, Carsten Hvid. “Basically, it's important to get as far down towards Land’s End as possible, so we can get round into the English Channel.”

Created by Lars Normann

Farewell Dublin

Skipper Carsten Hvid waves goodbye to Dublin. Photo: Werner Karrasch

2008-06-30

The Liffey will never be the same again. Dublin’s long water motorway is double the size of Gudenåen and was about to overflow its banks with joy – and the tear drops from the sky!

The 61 members of the crew raised their oars and made ready for the historic departure, a farewell in which the world’s largest reconstruction of a Viking ship set course for home in Roskilde with driving rain running down the sides.

A few minutes later, the world and Dublin burst out in sunshine, song and folk music, as the Sea Stallion after half a year in Ireland fought for space on the Liffey in sharp competition with half of the city’s pleasure boats.

The City Council had arranged the necessary and respectful mayoral speeches well-spiced with gospel music. The morning soon developed into a regular harbour party, and in contrast to Danes, the Irish seem to have a lot of “go” in them – before lunch.

The Sea Stallion was kissed at and waved to as, with a regular breeze across the stern, the ship quickly left the harbour and the pursuing pleasure boats behind and disappeared behind the low hills around Dublin Bay.

Created by Lars Normann

The Sea Stallion is at sea again – at last

After four days in harbour due to wind conditions on the Irish coast, every chance to start sailing towards the English Channel must be taken. Even a light wind and misty, rainy weather. Photo: Viking Ship Museum.

2008-07-03

A light wind from the north has sent the Viking Ship Museum’s research project down along the coast of Ireland.

After four days in the little coastal town of Howth north of Dublin with no possibility of sailing south towards the English Channel, the crew of the Sea Stallion woke up on Thursday morning to a light northerly wind. The Viking Ship Museum’s research project could at last continue its return voyage home to Roskilde.

At 10.00 am local time in Ireland, the 60 crew members waved farewell to their many new friends in Howth, rowed out into the light wind, and set sail for the south in misty weather and the prospect of showery rain.

“We want to get as far south down the Irish coast as possible,” says skipper Carsten Hvid. “The current will be the decisive factor for us today, because there certainly isn’t much wind. Luckily, though, it’s coming from the right direction. At 11.00. the current in the Irish Sea will turn to the south. Then we will run with it.”

Created by Lars Normann