The voyages in 1996-97

Since our line of direction is to use and sail the ship as much as possible, we started our new expedition from Turku in Finland already 31.7.96. We made for unknown destinies. The journey is still continuing and we don´t know when or where it will end.

In summer 1996 we sailed to Foteviken in Scania, Sweden. This was a dizzy journey in which we covered 500 nautical miles in 10 days. Take note that we had no engine on board! Our top speed was 12.4 knots which, as far as we know, is an unofficial world record for this type of vessel. The ship managed well this time but the crew were strained.

A sailing Viking ship is a miniature community, in which the crewmembers have many afflictions. Imagine 10 people living on a rocking area of 18 squaremeters throughout the 24 hours. There is no private life and you are exposed to weather and wind all the time. Our voyages are dependent on the wind and manpower and hence there is often no certainty about the course and timetable. A mistake made by one crewmember can be fatal for the whole crew. - The life on board can be stressful.

During the winter 1996-97 we made two Viking tents for the crew. The tents are made of wool and impregnated in the right way with a decoction of willow bark, tar and horse fat. Some did not like the smell but the tents fulfilled their purpose.

In the beginning of June 1997 we continued our journey. We sailed to Hedeby (at today´s Schleswig), which was one of the first towns in the Viking age. Here the Vikings transported their ships a short distance over land to the North Sea. We did the same. Thereafter we crossed the North Sea in three and a half days. Our sailing, which was done in the right way i.e. without an engine or an escort and even without insurance (no one was willing to insure us), gave us a lot of insight into how the Vikings managed in the areas of tidal waters and streams. We now understand how they were able to make surprise attacks far up the rivers. - Our experiences are the basis of a separate report on sailing with Viking ships in tidal waters. This is written by captain Fredrik Koivusalo (see Literary production).

Heimløsa Rus made a raid up the river Tamar to commemorate the Viking invasion in Southwest England 1000 years ago. At the same time we took part in the Vikings 97 festival in Plymouth. Heimløsa Rus was the only one of the attending ships that was not transported to the festival by land.
During the 9th century the Vikings conquered Paris twice. This happened again in August 1997 when we sailed up the river Seine to Paris.
In Sens, about 100 km southeast of Paris, the ship was hauled up for the winter, after 2 ½ months´ sailing and about 2000 nautical miles.