The adventurer is Jens Christian Knudsen – among the crewmembers of the Sea Stallion better known as ‘Jens Cook’. Jens is namely one half of the Sea Stallion Steward-duo.
With his 63 years Jens is one of the oldest aboard the World’s biggest reconstruction of a Viking ship. But age and everyday life as a pensioner is no hindrance.
“I suppose I am something of an adventurer and seeking challenges. That is what I did in my eight years in Greenland, where I went hunting with Eskimos with dog sleigh in Thule. I also sailed my own boat in the utterly proud to go through this unique adventure and science achievement together with the rest of the crew.”
Came, saw…and surrendered
Jens is a trained butcher. That training comes in handy in the galley. It takes something special to keep a crew of 65 running on food and water around the clock.
But it all started with a visit to the Viking Ship Museum. Jens is one of nearly 600,000 people following the construction of the Sea Stallion of Glendalough.
The building of the Sea Stallion – lasting four years from 2000-2004 – really sparked Jens’ curiosity. He often followed the boat builders closely from the sideline and exploring books about Vikings at home. When the completed ship was ready for launch, there was no turning back:
“Now I could see with my own eyes, what an enormous transportation machine the Vikings controlled. I was so exited and drove home and said to my wife; ’I want to sail that Viking ship to Dublin’. She looked at me anxiously and said that I must have been out of my mind.”
The energy surplus aboard
Jens volunteered for the crew, but it was not as easy as that:
“To begin with I was dumped to benefit a different segment at the time. When the present skipper – Carsten – assumed responsibility, I was contacted and I jumped at the opportunity. I was part of the summer voyage in 2005 and after that I got the job with the ship’s other steward to take care of logistics and cooking”, Jens says.
“The most fantastic thing is the camaraderie aboard. That 65 people in a confined space like this, in spite of the exertion, are able to find the surplus of energy to be tolerant. Modern man could learn something from that,” Jens says.
But not everything is bliss. The worst is the toilet facilities aboard. To relieve yourself right next to 64 others is bizarre. A new toilet in part hidden behind a green fabric has taken care of the problem.
I was there
Today Jens feels so confident in the ship that he has no fears prior to the Dublin-voyage. Even the long stretches across open sea are something he looks forward to. And there is a good feeling back home as well:
“My wife had accepted my wild project with the Sea Stallion, but she does feel we are gone for a long time. Also friends and family are deeply fascinated by the project. Some times they cannot comprehend that it is possible at all.”
And when the Sea Stallion reaches port, Jens is happy to chat with the spectators on the quay:
“Yes, it may sound strange, but it gives me a lot of energy to continue, when I sense the fantastic interest and admiration, people show us. It is fuel on the fire”.
What are you looking forward to the most?
“To go ashore in Dublin, look at my wife with a tear in my eye, and say to her and to myself: “I was there…1,000 years after the Vikings."