Skjoldungen’s voyage from Sognefjord to Roskilde has been temporarily put on hold.

Skjoldungen and the crew taking a breather in Asmaløy. Photo: Preben Sauerberg
Published 17th Aug 2019

If all had gone to plan, Skjoldungen should have arrived home from Sognefjord on the 17th August – a journey of some 775 nautical miles, using oar and sail power alone. Now, the voyage has been temporarily set on hold due to weather conditions, which have resulted in the voyage extending beyond the time-period that the boat guild had set aside.

The crew from Skjoldungen have used up the time they had allotted to sail the ship home from Sognefjord to Roskilde.

Unfortunately, due to unfavourable weather conditions, they didn’t make it all the way to Roskilde. A prolonged period of low-pressure with northerly winds up along the Swedish coast and a weather forecast that promises more of the same mean that it wasn’t possible to sail the ship home within the time-frame they had planned. 

The crew have therefore decided to temporarily put the trial voyage on hold and return home over land – without Skjoldungen. If a suitable period with favourable winds comes along before October 1st, the crew will return to Sweden and attempt to sail the ship all the way home. A journey that can be completed within 3 – 4 days with the right conditions. 

The crew have made good arrangements to keep an eye on the ship and its gear, there where it’s currently moored. 

Log book from Skjoldungen 15th August 2019

We have acknowledged that we have to put the trial voyage with Skjoldungen from Sognefjord to Roskilde on hold. 

The wind has been a problem for a while. With only sail and oars, the wind has either been to strong or from the wrong directions.

From Fisketången and onwards, the voyage would continue through open and unsheltered waters. This requires wind from the right directions.
We’ll be waiting a long time for these winds – also longer than the time the crew has set aside. 

So the crew have now left Skjoldungen – with arrangements for its care in our absence – and have returned home, hoping for a suitably long period with the right winds to be able to sail the ship home before the autumn arrives. 
 


Created by Rikke Tørnsø Johansen