The Sea Stallion left the harbour in Eigersund, Norway, tonight at 00:10. The weather was calm, and the plan was to cross the North Sea on an easterly wind, predicted by the meteorologists.
The crew rowed the ship out on the North Sea and waited for the wind to come. But it never came. After eight hours of waiting in vain the weather forecast changed dramatically. There were no indications of easterly winds; on the contrary the meteorologist now predicted a moderate gale along the Norwegian west coast and the Scottish east coast.
The new forecast left the project with two alternatives: The crew could take the ship back to the Norwegian coast and keep waiting for favourable winds, or the ship could take a tow across the North Sea.
“During the last week we have resisted the possibility of taking a tow. But the latest weather forecast suggests that we are facing the risk of staying in Norway for weeks to come. We are thereby faced with the dilemma of carrying out a trial voyage on authentic premises – within a modern timeframe of seven weeks. This dilemma was foreseen in the research plan, which also gives us the answer to it: If necessary the ship must take a tow to carry out the voyage” says Carsten Hvid, skipper on the Sea Stallion.
Out of consideration for the overall aims of the project it has therefore been decided to tow the Sea Stallion across the North Sea. As the meteorologists predict heavy winds tomorrow it is, out of consideration for the safety of the crew and the ship, it has furthermore been decided to tow the Sea Stallion all the way to Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands.
“As a consequence of the decision of towing the Sea Stallion across the North Sea, this part of the passage has now been cancelled in the research plan for 2007. Primarily, this affects the of the research program dealing with the trial voyage itself – the possibility of estimating the travel speed across the North Sea, and the possibility of evaluating the functions and the logistics on board during a long crossing. These aspects will be reassumed during the voyage from Ireland to Denmark in 2008”, says director of the Viking Ship Museum, Tinna Damgård-Sørensen.
“It is frustrating that we can’t cross the North Sea as planned. But it hasn’t any vital consequences for the research plan, and we will have the opportunity again next year. In this situation we have to give highest priority to the experimental sailing north of Scotland and in the Irish Sea. Here the ship will be tested in some of the most difficult and important waters in the western Viking World” continues Tinna Damgård-Sørensen.
“The sailing across the North Sea has a psychological dimension of its own. Many people probably see the crossing of this open sea stretch as the greatest challenge in the project. Never the less we the waters north of Scotland offer even greater challenges with higher waves and tidal streams”, says skipper Carsten Hvid.
“The crew is very disappointed. We all are. We have been training for years. After a tremendous beginning, the crew has spent almost two weeks waiting patiently for wind on the South coast of Norway. Now we thought that we could finally cross the North Sea. The weather forecasts had been promising and accurate for some days – and then we were surprised by this sudden change. With a volunteer crew that has to sign on and sign off we can’t afford to be as patient as the Vikings – they would without doubt have stayed in coastal waters to wait for the wind to come” concludes Carsten Hvid.
The Sea Stallion is expected to arrive at Kirkwall on the Orkney islands Tuesday the 17th of July in the afternoon. The ship and the rigging will then be inspected before further sailing.