Viking Landing in New York City

By Brian K. Lind

September 21, 2016

A replica of the sort of ship that carried the first Europeans to America is currently sitting in the North Cove Marina in Manhattan, NYC. A few blocks west of One World Trade and in the heart of Battery Park sits not a replica of the Santa Maria, Pinta, or Nina but of a 114 foot Viking Long Ship, much like the ship that first brought Leif Erikson to North America when he landed in Newfoundland.

The 114 Viking ship, the Draken Harald Hårfagre, was built in Haugesund, Norway. It was built to replicate a traditional Viking longship built on what archeological data there is of Viking ships as well as what history is preserved through Norse Sagas. She has both an ocean crossing sailing rig along with 25 pairs of oars. While you might think they use the oars for getting in and out of harbor, Norwegian law required the vessel to also have an auxiliary power plant and it thus has a well-hidden diesel engine. Don’t worry from the looks of it, this was still a challenging crossing for the crew. Just imagine battling the storms of the North Sea in an open boat!

While built between 2010 and 2012, she embarked on her first transatlantic crossing in 2016 leaving Haugesund, Norway in April of 2016 arriving in Newfoundland at the beginning of June. The Draken Harald Hårfagre has travelled throughout Canada, the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Great Lakes, and is now currently in New York City before departing for her last stop in Mystic Seaport, CT. The concept of the trip was to make a similar passage to that which Leif Erikson had accomplished some 500 years before Columbus arrived in the Americas.

If you are in the New York City area you can go visit the vessel at the North Cove Marina at Brookfield Place. Deck tours are available Thursday September 22nd from 11-6pm and Saturday September 24th and Sunday September 25th from 11am-6pm.