2023-05-04
15:09
Day 2: Sunday, April 30, 2023
The day started brutally at 4 AM in order to take advantage of the northwestern wind at the beginning of the day. So at 6 AM we were underway, and by 8 AM we set sail for Miklagard (Istanbul)!
2023-05-04
15:41
Day 3: Monday, May 1, 2023
On day three, we were in Resö, Sweden. It started raining around 4 AM, and continued all day. Raining not only what felt like cats and dogs, but even cows! So we did like the vikings did. Stayed put and did some important tasks, like getting to know each other, tackling and splicing ropes, and talking to the local press. After dinner, we went to bed to get an early start to the next day.
2023-05-04
15:56
Day 4 : Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Day four brought perfect wind, sun and sea. We were up at 4am and had a long 14 hour day at sea, taking advantage of the northwestern winds. Finally, the chef prepared dinner under sail.
2023-05-04
16:03
Day 4: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Our Swedish crew member Mattias grew up in the beautiful town of Marstrand, and was very happy to show us this coastal gem! We spent the night there, and it was well worth the long day!
2023-05-04
16:19
Day 5-6: Wednesday, May 3 and Thursday morning, May 4
Day five was cool, calm and collected, and took us to Bua. After a bit of a communication challenge with regards to getting power for our batteries, we had a good night's sleep. The next morning came with a very pleasant surprise: The manager of the supermarket at Bua, Therése Berntsson, not only helped Tore with the shopping and drove him and the cases of food all the way to the ship, but she also gave us a nice present. Thats what you call good service! We are keeping a southern course, hoping to reach Torekov on Thursday night.
2023-05-05
21:31
Day 6: Thursday, May 4, 2023
We have a chest (called ‘Blytung’, meaning ‘Heavy-as-lead’) with two gas burners, in order to make hot meals. Vikings need varied and healthy foods to keep us going for up to 14 hours of sailing. The Chef on each stage decides the menu. In addition to dinner and breakfast when we are moored, there is a packed lunch (the famous Norwegian 'matpakke',) and lots of fruits and other snacks while at sea.
2023-05-05
22:59
Day 6: Thursday, May 4, 2023
Day six got off to a good start. Cold, but sunny, and with good winds. As the day passed, the wind died down, and then it picked up! It picked up a lot. We sailed for most of the day, but the last two hours we 'podded' and were pushed by Saga Dingy. After a long day, we pulled up along the quaiside in Halmstad a bit after 9 PM. - Knowing your knots is a big part of being a sailor, but every now and again when under stress the knot is tied 'not quite according to tradition'. Our stage responsible made what looks like a Gordian knot, and the day will show if it is. Will we need a knife, or manage with nimble fingers ? - The pods are powered by batteries, and we charge every night from harbor sockets. But now and then we run out of power while still at sea, and then our dear 'Genny' (the generator) kicks into action. Yesterday she had a strange sound at startup, and our chief engineer had to duck into the matter.
2023-05-05
23:15
Day 6, 'Star Wars day' : "May the 4th be with you", 2023
On this stage there actually is a vicar onboard, and she experienced this sight as a hearty welcome. The sight is almost something that could make the most hardened barbarian religious. Actually it is a watertower in the sunset.
2023-05-05
23:27
Day 7: Friday (morning), May 5, 2023
Our 'Høvedsmann' (Captain) needs a bit of quiet time every now and again, to plan ahead and write in his black book. He has his chest, bed and desk in a small corner of the sleeping quarters in the cabin. Of all things, somebody has named our cabin 'The chapel'. This is our sleeping quarters with room for six people, (eight in a pinch), as well as the captain's chest, and a chest for spare vests and a power distributor for charging our phones. Phones on a viking ship? Of course! The vikings were first with the last. If phones had existed in their time, they most certainly would have used them!
2023-05-05
23:43
Day 7: Friday (morning), May 5, 2023
We are getting to know more and more about textiles in the viking age. They probably took what they have. And when the suit of a crew member rips, it is fixed with spinnaker-tape! It is important for us to spread the word of the peaceful part of the viking age, like boat building, navigation, and other cultural aspects of life in Scandinavia 1000 years ago. For this reason we contact newspapers along the way, and our Swedish crew member has been quite busy along the Swedish coast. As we are leaving Sweden, heading for Denmark, the Swedish national radio turns up: They had read about us in the newspaper.
2023-05-07
08:30
Day 7: Friday morning, May 5, 2023
The word 'þhing' in norse means a place for making decisions. So every afternoon/evening after mooring, and every morning before departure we assemble the crew for debrief and information. Anyone can raise a case. Captain, Stage manager, safety officer and Media usually have something to share.
2023-05-07
08:42
Day 7: Friday evening, May 5, 2023
On the way from Halmstad, we had a lot of good winds in the right direction from the outset. Later the wind changed, our batteries were just about flat, and the dinghy that was supposed to push us took in water in the rough waves. We got help from the Swedish Sea Rescue Corps (‘Rescue Lars Lindfelt’) to get to the harbour in Gilleleje. Everything is fine with the ship and crew, none of us were ever afraid, and the ship danced elegantly across the sea. We were soaked wet from seawater spraying over the ship in the rough weather, but she was never in any danger. She is a super sturdy lady in the captain's reliable hands. -We will stay here today to charge the batteries and wait for better winds. In the right direction.
2023-05-08
16:15
and the teaser is ready to be seen
Jeremy Freeston, who is a well known filmmaker, has started to film for a documentary featuring the Saga Asia 2023 voyage. We’re thrilled that our adventure potentially will be seen by millions. Jeremy has made a teaser to let us know what we may expect - please check out our Youtube channel to see the teaser (Saga Asia 2023)
2023-05-08
19:21
Day 7: Friday, May 5, 2023
Our Swedish rescuers were nice enough to bring us all the way to Denmark, and our Danish crew member was on the phone since early afternoon in order to fix dinner in a flash. Since we did not arrive in Gilleleje until ten at night, the moosedinner was postponed once more. But Danish pizza is also a very good meal.
2023-05-08
19:34
Day 8: Saturday, May 6, 2023
The first thing to look for when Saga Farmann has arrived to a harbour, is where to connect the cables and start charging the batteries. As it takes many hours to do this, the last thing before departure is to finish charging.
2023-05-08
20:03
Day 8-9: Sat-Sun, May 6-7, 2023
The day has been put to good use, emptying the food boxes of seawater, tackling ropes, taking showers, fixing things that needed fixing, and drying clothes, and eating a late lunch. And tonight we will finally get to eat moose.
After many days, we could eventually enjoy the moose meat on Saturday evening.
2023-05-08
20:31
Day 10: Monday, May 8, 2023
A long, 15 hour sailing trip from Gilleleje today, departing at 5:36 and arriving at Kalundborg 20:35. We started our from Gilleleje early Monday morning, and with fair winds, sun and good speed. We wanted to get to Kalundborg, and we did. Total distance was 70 nautic miles. At one moment we were doing 7 knots! We were going partly by just sail, partly with a bit of aid by the dinghy, and the last couple of hours, we took the sail down and podded into port at Kalundborg just before dark. As it was too late to start making dinner and the moose was eaten, our Danish crew member ordered food from a nearby restaurant. And what a treat! So much, so very tasty food for hungry vikings! We will stay a couple of nights in Kalundborg, waiting out the weather.
2023-05-09
15:06
Day 10: Monday, May 8, 2023
Along the way we met another wooden sailing vessel and talked with them on the VHF. Upon hearing that we were on our way to Istanbul, the comment was: - Wow! That's quite a voyage!
2023-05-09
15:35
Day 11: Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Our Swedish crew member has taken upon himself to make sure we don't risk infectious disease. The water is boiling hot! Do we have a nominee for 'Dishwasher of the Year'?
There are no tables onboard, and no chairs. So we need to find somewhere to put our plates if we don't want to keep them in our lap. The bitis can function as a table, although we sometimes feel a bit like kids in kindergarten ...
2023-05-09
20:35
Day 11: Tuesday, May 9, 2023
The name Roskilde rings especially warm in any viking's ear. The vikingship museum here is the home of no less than five original ships, and there is also a viking shipyard as well as interactive information. We had to visit them and present them with the gift of whetstones from Norway. There has been and is still a close connection between vikings in Denmark and Norway. On the way back to the train, we visited Roskilde Church. The first church here was built by order of Harald Bluetooth in 980, the current church being the fourth one on this location, finished around 1250.
2023-05-10
23:16
Day 12: Wednesday, May 10, 2023
All children enjoy a good bedtime story. Even tough vikings enjoy a good bedtime story. And Are Sende Osens book “Kongerekka” (telling the story of the viking kings), rendered by captain emeritus ("høvedsmann") Rolf, surely vouches for good bedtime stories for modern, tired Vikings.
2023-05-10
23:21
Day 12: Wednesday, May 10, 2023
We finally found someone to take our picture at a moment that everyone was present. TV Kalundborg sent a reporter to make an article for their homepage.
2023-05-10
23:32
Day 12: Wednesday, May 10, 2023
This is a beautiful old town with modern facilities. The quaiside where we are moored is being renovated and will be very nice by the summer. Some of us went to church. And in the old part of town we picked up a group of students making a video project. They decided we were a scoop. A lot of people pass by the ship and get information.
2023-05-10
23:41
Day 12: Wednesday, May 10, 2023
The manufacturer of our pods is taking good care of us. So when one of the pods gave up the ghost midsea, Seadrive's Gina got on the first plane out of Oslo and spent the day fixing it. This is what we call service!
2023-05-11
20:07
Day 13: Thursday, May 11, 2023
We had planned to get up at four, but the whole crew overslept. Nonetheless, at six, we were well underway, having coffee and saying goodbye to Kalundborg for now. There was quite a lot of mist in the morning.
2023-05-11
21:00
Day 13: Thursday, May 11, 2023
Podding south we passed under the bridge across Storebælt. We podded, because the sea was very calm and the little wind we had, was in the wrong direction. But we reached our goal for today, leaving us with just enough time to reach Lübeck in time Saturday.
2023-05-11
21:05
Day 13: Thursday, May 11, 2023
Our dinghy (small boat) needs fuel, and not any fuel, but petrol. However, most of the ports we visit, tend to fishing vessels using diesel. So a lot of effort is put into getting petrol for our Saga Dinghy. Tonight in Nakskov our team of petrol-hunters found a new way of getting the fuel from the petrol-station to the ship.
2023-05-13
00:00
Day 13: Thursday, May 11, 2023
When you get up at 4 AM in order to take advantage of the fair weather, an important task is to fill the thermoses with coffee and hot water. A very important task indeed.
2023-05-13
00:53
Day 14: Friday, May 12, 2023
Heading south in the direction of Germany, at 3,4 knots (about 6 km/h). We also sailed on Thursday, by the way. The first stage finishes tomorrow, on Saturday, and the crew of stage-1 will clean and hand over the ship to the crew of stage-2. There is a crew change every other weekend. Some crewmembers participate on more than one stage, and you will find the names of each crew for the different stages under the heading Crew, on the front page. There will be an overlap of three crewmembers from stage one to stage two. For the people participating on stage-1, sailing was the important point of participation and we have had our fair share of strong and soft winds and have really been enjoying the sea! Friendships have been formed for life as we have spent 24-7 x2 together in a relatively cramped space.
We passed under the Fehmarn Sound bridge (964 m long, opened April 30, 1963) around 1 PM on Friday.
As we set sail for the second time today, the ship reached 9 kts (almost 17 km/h)!
2023-05-13
08:10
Day 15: Saturday, May 13, 2023
After setting a new record of speed yesterday at 9 kts, we are ready to arrive in Lübeck today on May 13, 2023. The Eric-Warburg-Brücke opens at 12.30 and at that time we plan to come through. If you are in Lübeck, we would love to see you at the quaiside in the museum harbour today and tomorrow.
As we are approaching Lübeck, most of the crew are preparing for getting off. As we actually for once really are on a schedule, the dishwashers had to start as we were getting out of the harbour at Neustadt. We all have enjoyed our stay onboard, and have gotten using to balancing on deck. However, when we step onshore, everything sways! We will take along in our hearts memories and friendships from these past weeks and have enjoyed having you along for the ride.
2023-05-13
22:53
Day 15: Saturday, May 13, 2023
We were met by several people at the historical Museumshafen in Lübeck. Many wanted to come onboard, and asked intelligent questions. A lot of children admired the historical helmet, and our W.C. The museum director received us and got a whetstone for a present. He also presented the two captains and the stage responsible with gifts from the city, and helped out with water and power for our batteries. There were also other presents. The honorary consul of Lübeck came onboard with champagne and cakes and was also presented with a whetstone. The local newspaper showed up, so we will probably be in the paper again tomorrow. There was an article about Saga Farmann in the local paper yesterday, and a lot of people had seen it. We have had very good cooperation with local media along the way. And this concludes the blogs from Kjersti Marken, aka Kjersti Viking in Lübeck, as I am getting on a bus going back home. All the best to the next crew!
2023-05-16
05:46
Day 18: Tuesday, May 16, 2023
The ship came podding into Lübeck on Saturday and moored in the historical part of the old Hansatown. The sail is laid to rest. And for the next weeks the ship will pass through canals, locks and rivers. After a few days in the historical harbour in Lubeck, this floating museum is now 'cleared through customs', so to speak. She is approved by the German authorities and will shortly continue the journey towards Istanbul.
2023-05-17
15:31
Day 19: May 17, 2023
Finally we're ready to continue our voyage - we've got all papers needed and now we just need to lower the mast to be able to go under the brigdes. It makes for some ‘spaghetti’ with all the standing rigging, shrouds and stays laid down.
2023-05-18
20:53
Day 21: Friday, May 19, 2023
Today we reached the massive ship lift on the Elbe Seitenkanal. That is a scary piece of engineering, lifting an entire section of the canal, including ships approximately 38 meters!! We waited a few hours to get access as they (for good reason) prioritize the commercial ships. But we got to ride alone - and our 20.7 meter ship is but a small fish in a big pond in this construction. Please see our live stream from the lift in our YouTube channel: Saga Asia 2023.
2023-05-17
07:15
Day 20: Thursday, May 18, 2023
Against the tide Going up the locks. Travelling by locks, or sluices, means the ships goes through a gate, which is then closed tightly. Water is being let into the sluice – slowly – and the water level rises up to another level with a new gate. As the water level on the other side of this gate is equal to where the ship now is – the gate can open and let the ship through. The gate is then closed again, and the process is repeated. That is, if this lock has several steps. Some locks have one step, some have more.
Modern engineering for the most modern vikingship
2023-05-19
21:23
Day 22: May 20 2023
Friday, May 19 2023
Before the roads were the waterways, now also engineered. Oceans, rivers, seas, and more recently, canals, locks and lifts have always been important for travelling. In the old days, the waterways were actually more important than the roads. So there is nothing weird in the fact that the waterways of Europe have signposts – indicating where you should go.
2023-05-21
14:56
Day 23: Sunday, May 21, 2023
Starting out at 0600 - almost alone on the canal. We just had to overtake a barge, and then we rode the uspoiled morning waters, listening to the early morning birds (and there are a lot of them). Please see our video from this morning in our YouTube canal: Saga Asia 2023.
This afternoon the temperature rose, and we had to seek shade. This gave us the opportunity to test out our new "bikinitop" for the helms-position. Using the bars from the winch and a stick harvested from the riverbank, we now have nice shade aft in the ship. And we managed over 100 kilometres this day!
2023-05-23
13:44
Day 25: Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Our voyage on the canals towards the Rhine brings us through and under various locks and bridges. To sum up the experience in that regard: Locks are big, and bridges are low! We knew that we should be able to pass under all the bridges, but every now and again we get a little worried as they seem to be too low.
There's no doubt that the locks are getting bigger and bigger as we are getting closer to the Rhine. The locks around Lübeck were "cosy" compared to the locks we see these days. Saga Farmann is a small ship in a lock build to hold 150 m barges.
2023-05-27
07:51
Day 28: Friday, May 26, 2023
We were lucky to get a tow from captain Frank on the 135 meter barge Heike-Lucie. Frank had heard about our need to get up the Rhine and made contact through our German friend Eddy - and at the last minute a deal was made for Saga Farmann to be towed alongside Heike-Lucie up the Rhine.
Well secured to Heike-Lucie we started our journey in the strong current on the Rhine. It was scary at start but soon we got used to the constant noise from the water passing between us and Heike-Lucie. We were in good hands. See posting on YouTube: Saga Asia 2023
There is not much you can do when towed, except for enjoying the nice scenery and relaxing. Heike-Lucie provided us with the luxury of showering and the possibility to take a walk visiting the wheelhouse and captain Frank.
When arriving at the lock in the Main - local vikings showed up and we took them on board for a short ride through the lock. When parking for the night more spectators appeared. For a few hours we enjoyed telling about our voyage, previous experiences and viking craftsmanship and most likely we got some new crew members for the stages next year.
2023-05-25
12:08
Day 27: Thursday, May 25, 2023
Being towed makes things a lot easier in all aspects. We are very thankful to Frank and his crew for helping the vikings go through with this adventure.
History meets modern Art - Saga Farmann side by side with Heike-Lucie on the Rhine in Duisburg near "Rheinorange" (Rheinkilometer 780). Renate Walte
2023-05-27
20:14
Day 29: Time for a new crew as stage 2 crew hand over the ship
Stage 2 has come to an end and the crew are now handing over the ship to the crew for stage 3. We (Stage 2 crew) are truly proud of our achivement bringing Saga Farmann from Lübeck to Mainz on time - We faced all sorts of issues like EU certification, lack of certificates and a tow up the Rhine, but we found solutions and succeeded our stage. We wish the 3rd stage crew a nice voyage.
2023-05-29
09:12
Day 30: Sunday, May 28, 2023
The sun is rising slowly, reminding us about our way to Miklagard. The Saga Farmann Stage 3 Crew will soon be heading East from Gustavsburg to Frankfurt on the river Main.
2023-05-27
18:35
Day 29: Saturday, May 27, 2023
Saga Farmann arrived a day ahead of schedule due to tow. It parked overnight two nights at the end of the Main River.
Stage 3 crew met at SF on Saturday. Estimated 350 people came during the day to see the ship despite its rather difficult to reach location in the middle of a river front trail with no easy auto access. Some of the crowd outdressed the crew as Vikings.
2023-05-31
06:44
Day 32: Tuesday, May 30, 2023
This way of travel was impossible for the vikings of old, so we do it to honor their boatbuilding skills.
Today brought Saga Farmann from the marina in Aschaffenburg, through scenic Miltenberg and ended docked on the side of the canal in the tiny village Dorfprozelten. The weather has been sunny and we’ve driven through the beautiful scenic landscape of rolling hills and vineyards. We briefly stopped in Miltenberg for a food shop so big it needed over half the crew and a trolley to get in back on the ship, accompanied by beautiful views of German castles!
2023-05-31
07:23
Day 33: Wednesday, May 31, 2023
The photo shows a quiet day on the Main
The past two days we have covered 140km up the Main and passed through 13 locks, with more to come before we dock at Kitzingen for the night!
2023-06-01
07:33
Day 34: Thursday, June 1, 2023
We are visiting a lot of old cities with culture and history in many buildings, this time Wurzburg.
Today we were lucky enough to stop off in Wurzburg, a historic town with lots of culture and beautiful buildings. Here we also picked up some members of the Wurzburg tourism board for a tour and a quick trip out on the ship!
2023-06-05
17:55
Day 37: Sunday, June 4, 2023
Thursday night (June 1) we docked in Kitzingen, where we met Hildebrand, the harbour master who was very helpful in providing us with power, water and facilities!
One of the people from the tourism board who came on board in Wurzburg had spread the word of the viking ship arriving to her father in Kitzingen, Heiko Baumann, who came to see the ship. He’s a restoration carpenter and the beautiful woodwork of the boat fascinated him. He offered to build us a bench for the stern of the ship (which has been on Captain Bjørn’s wishlist the whole leg!) but sadly we weren’t staying long enough, so instead he gifted us two planks of Oregon pine to build our own.
That’s been Bjørn’s project the past few days, and with great success!
2023-06-03
19:00
Day 36: Saturday, June 3, 2023
Saturday morning we arrived in Bamberg, perhaps the most scenic town along the Main, filled with beautiful baroque architecture. Our welfare officer, Greg, has done a fantastic job of preparing walking tours and acting as our guide in each place we stop, and Bamberg did not disappoint!
We had a lovely crew lunch where we all got to try a local beer called Rauchbier from the brewery Arch Schlenferla. It’s made from barley dried over an open flame which gives it its smoky flavour. The general verdict from the crew was that it tastes of bacon and is reminiscent of the smell of the tar used to coat the ship, so the beer was fondly nicknamed ‘boat soup’.
2023-06-06
23:39
Day 38: Monday, June 5, 2023
This Monday we reached a harbour close to Nürnberg on the south-western side. We are still in the Main-Donau-Kanal, and there is a 6-lane motorway (three in each direction) on land, following the canal.
The maps show where Saga Farmann is now, and we can see the waterways from Mainz to Regensburg. The last leg from Erlangen to Nürnberg is shown on its own map.
2023-06-07
15:18
Day 40: Wednesday, June 7, 2023
From here on it is downhill to Istanbul
A report form Arndis, our Danish crew member: We have reached the highest lock, 406 m above sea level, so from now on it is downhill towards the Danube. Lock Hilpoltstein at the top and the monument for the highest point. This is a fantastic trip with an international crew. Of the 10 people on board there are 6 nationalities, 5 Norwegians, one from Mexico, an American, and one from Scotland, England and Denmark. So here in south-eastern Germany, the language intricacies are absolutely amazing.
2023-06-10
17:04
Day 44: Sunday, June 11, 2023
After two incredible weeks on Saga Farmann, it is time for crew 3 to say goodbye. Throughout our time on the ship we’ve climbed an elevation of 253 m, travelled 564kms and passed through 49 locks.
We’ve also celebrated a 60th birthday party with a three-course meal cooked in our tiny ship kitchen, greeted visitors from all over Germany and received an incredible welcome from everywhere we’ve had the pleasure to stop and explore!
A keystone event in leg 3 of this journey was when we passed Hiltpoltstein, the highest point in the world any ship can sail to starting at sea level. This sits at 406m above sea level, and is therefore also the highest point any viking ship has ever been. That’s a pretty impressive feat!
It’s safe to say that the passing of the 49th and final lock on our leg was a relieving but slightly sad event. By now we’ve gotten very used to Captain Bjørn shouting ‘fenders!’ and having to abandon whatever we were doing to assemble all the fenders on the port side as we enter the lock, and then keeping our positions for the next half hour to get through, despite the blazing sun a lot of the time!
Overall, we couldn’t have wished for a better experience and we’ve been lucky enough to explore some beautiful but less travelled to areas in Germany. Bamberg is a firm favourite, and several of us have decided that we want to come back next year again.
2023-06-11
20:43
Day 44: Sunday, June 11, 2023
Crew 4 has arrived and taken over the ship just 3 hours sailing from Regensburg. This is the spot selected for yet another logistic operation for this voyage. Monday 12th of June we will recieve 24 new batteries and an additional generator. The plan is to remove half our battery bank and replace it with new batteries and at the same time install an additional 8kW generator. While waiting the new crew went on sightseeing to Regensburg
2023-06-12
08:09
Day 45: Monday, June 12, 2023
Finally, we could get to work. On Monday morning our new batteries and generator arrived. The crew worked efficient and within just 2,5 hours, 24 batteries were replaced with new ones and our new generator was lifted in place, ready to be connected.
In the afternoon we were ready to take off for Regensburg. The current was about 3-4 kts, so we needed to plan for maneuvering, how to stop and how we could turn in the river. It is actually much more challenging going downstream than upstream. Just before we came to our mooring spot in Regensburg, we had to make a 180 degree turn upstream. We were a little stressed, but made the turn like pros.
Our friends here had arranged for us to dock right in the centre of the city and not long after arrival, visitors came to see our ship and to hear more about our epic voyage.
2023-06-16
09:29
Day 48: Thursday, June 15, 2023
The crew on board Saga Farmann is a hardworking group, who steps up when needed. Due to the delay of the batteries and generator we were behind schedule to get to Vienna this coming weekend. But the motivation is high to make up for lost time by sailing long days and distances.
Friday morning, we started out from the habour Au at 06:00 with a plan to do about 150 km, in order to get close to Wienna. At 19:00 we moored, having passed 151 km. During the day we set a speed record of 10.4 kts downstream and got soaking wet in heavy rain showers in a lock. A cool day on the river Donau, actually.
2023-06-16
11:58
Day 49: Friday, June 16, 2023
Friday night we made it to the habour at km 1956 "Yachthafen Muckendorf", a short distance outside of Wienna. Members of the Yachtclub's board welcomed us and invited us to use their facilities, inluding having a beer on the terrace. During the evening our new friends helped us with maps for the Hungarian/Slovakian part of our voyage and gave us a lot of good advice on how to proceed.
2023-06-19
14:06
Day 51: Sunday, June 18, 2023
Vacation in Vienna - not bad at all!
The ship has moored in Vienna, and the crew is taking advantage of good food and drink in this monumental city, as well as checking out the cultural life. During the weekend, they got a visit from the Norwegian embassador to Austria onboard.
2023-06-23
05:09
Day 55-56: Thu-Fri, June 22-23, 2023
A two-day stay became a five-day stay
- Outboard motor service parts have arrived! Our American crew member rejoiced yesterday, and continued: - The mechanic is on the way! The dinghy should be ready to go in a few hours! Vienna, how can we miss you if we don’t go away? (We are on the 5th day of a planned 2 day stop, due to combination of unfortunate events (water in Outboard gearbox and cyber attack shutting down Parts supply for well over a week)
The ship is finally underway again and spent the night in Samorin yachtcklub in Bratislava.
2023-06-24
15:53
Day 57: Saturday, June 24, 2023
What a reception!
The ship made it to Budapest in time for the crew exchange. A lot of people have been asking on Facebook and Messenger about the time for her arrival, in order that they may receive the Vikings in peace. And they turned out – by the thousands.
In the heat of a warm summer in Central Europe, people cued to see and board the world’s most modern vikingship.
Thank you, Budapest, for this warm welcome!
2023-06-28
23:49
Day 61: Wednesday, June 28, 2023
We are staying overnight in the port of Baja, Hungary from June 28 to June 29. Baja is a town with about 35000 inhabitants, located 150 km south of Budapest. It's nickname is “The Capital of Fisherman’s soup”. Look at the position on the map of Europe. We are coming closer to Serbia every day. The border between Hungary and Serbia is not far to the South, and the cities of Vukovar, Novi Sad and Belgrade in Serbia will be visited the next days.
2023-07-05
16:48
Day 68: Wednesday, July 5, 2023
A long ride ahead for the day
Saga Farmann left Apatin in northern Serbia this morning, Wednesday 5 July, and set out on a 10-12 hour journey towards Novi Sad in Serbia. The crew are happy to be underway againg. The days are hot – but on the river there is after all a slight breeze. Along the way, the ship passes among other places, Vukovar. The trip to Novi Sad is approximately 140 km (around 76 nautical miles) so the ship must have an average speed of about 7 knots, which will give them a sailing time of 11 hours. They have Croatia on the starboard side and Serbia to the port
Yesterday the crew were invited to the farm of a local man who has lived several years in Norway, and were treated to a barbecue and good drinks.
2023-07-07
00:09
Day 69: Thursday, July 6, 2023
On Thursday, two days before crew exchange in Belgrade, we arrived in Belgrade. Friday will probably bring a lot of meetings with people here. Look for news and views late in the evening, or at least on Saturday morning. (Evening photo by Captain Håvard M Enerud.)
2023-07-08
23:34
Day 70: Friday, July 7, 2023
We arrived at sunset on Thursday, July 6, without knowing if we had a place for the ship in the harbour, but found a place at Goga Yachting Club (see map) along a couple of boats, quite close to a Greek restaurant. The mosquitoes were everywhere around us, so we ran away inside and ordered ice cold beer. The days are hot and the water level in the Danube is fairly low, which makes for good breeding conditions for the mosquitoes.
On Friday morning, July 7, we went to the market place and found some more modern cafeterias and nice buildings.
In spite of the mosquitoes and the heat, the crew are happy to have fulfilled their duty of bringing the ship two weeks and several kilometres down the Danube and closer to Miklagard and hand over a ship shape cleaned vessel to the next crew taking her to Constanta in Rumania.
2023-07-10
07:29
Day 72: Sunday, July 9, 2023
From Belgrade
Stage 6 got off to a flying start from Belgrade. A TV crew from RTS (the state TV channel) were curious about our voyage. We tried to convey that we are trying to recreate a viking voyage with what we currently know, and that we also hope to learn some things along the way. The camera man was very near to coming along but decided to stay in Belgrade in order that he could finish the clip for the evening news....
The ship travelled the about 45 kilometres to Smederevo, through a green and hilly (on the west side) landscape of vineyards and small villages.
We are currently docked in Smederevo and will continue early on Monday morning.
In Smederevo, we saw a fortress with a good view to the Romanian side.
2023-07-11
16:50
Day 74: Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Into Romania
Saga Farmann left Veliko Gradiste this morning and is heading for the Iron Gates, a gorge on the river Danube. We have Romania on the North side and Serbia on the South. The landscape reminds us of the Norwegian fjords, and Saga Farmann and her crew feel at home.
The ship has passed through a lot of European history, historical towns and cities dating many thousand years back. We have seen Europe from the riverside and carry many memories with us further on in life.
As the journey continues, we are making history: This is the first time a viking ship has passed the watershed of Europe and been as high as 406 meters above sea level.
2023-07-11
23:00
Day 74: Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Maybe this was the first sight of the vikings coming, 1000 years ago? Anyhow, with Stian being the Lookout ("Watch-man") or "The Captain's Eyes" in the bow, the ship has a safe journey on the river.
The Saga Farmann vikings meet at the breakfast table early in the morning under the shade of the canvas.
Today we had Elis and Diderik in the Dinghy, with which the ship has 40 hp external Mercury power, which is very useful and safe e.g. in the case of unexpected winds or river currents.
After breakfast, we said farewell to Veliko Gradiste and started on today's stage. How far will we reach before the evening?
2023-07-11
23:34
Day 74: Tuesday, July 11, 2023
We have covered 106 km (57 n.m.) today, from Veliko Gradiste to Tekija (a village in the Kladovo municipality). So we are still in Serbia, but have Romania on the other side of the river. The landscape through the "Iron Gate" is like a beautiful Gude painting. Look at the Waterways Map!
Elis is the only woman on this stage, and got a proposal from shore yesterday. However, there was no wedding ceremony, because she refused the proposal. So she rather stands firmly in the bow and keeps lookout for the captain.
Captain Dan Cato also looks reasonably happy. Jan Kristian, ("Karl") scouts ahead, while Nils blows the horn.
2023-07-13
17:05
Day 75: Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Saga Farmann has sailed through the «Iron Gate 1» lock, which was built along with the hydroelectric power station in the 1960's. By damming the river, Yugoslavia and Romania gained energy, while also making it significantly easier to navigate the river. But it came with a cost. When damming, farms were put underwater, and the livelihood and life work of some people are lost.
According to Juhász Kristóf, who has commented on our Facebook page “Vikingskipet Saga Farmann”, the idea of regulating the Lower Danube was raised by István Széchenyi, and the plans were prepared by Pál Vásárhelyi.
The works were started as early as 1834, but they were stopped after a year, and it was only in 1856 that it was possible to continue. The regulated section was handed over in 1896.
The construction of the joint Romanian-Yugoslavian mega project commenced in 1964. In 1972 the Iron Gate I Dam was opened, followed by Iron Gate II Dam, in 1984, along with two hydroelectric power stations, two sluices and navigation locks for shipping.
The construction of these dams gave the valley of the Danube below Belgrade the nature of a reservoir, and additionally caused a 35 m rise in the water level of the river near the dam.
The old Orșova, the Danube island of Ada Kaleh (below) and at least five other villages, totaling a population of 17,000, had to make way. People were relocated and the settlements have been lost forever to the Danube.
Ada Kaleh was a former Turkish exclave, it had a mosque and a thousand twisting alleys, and was known as a free port and smuggler's nest. Many other ethnic groups lived there beside Turks.
Coming closer to the Iron gate (1) with two steady sailors steering (2). Soon at the First Iron Gate (3); Inside the Lock (4 and 5).
Captain Dan Cato deeply concentrated (6); Way out of the Lock (7); Map showing the Locks downstream after Kladovo (8).
2023-07-15
08:31
Day 77: Friday, July 14, 2023
Building a crew network
And what better way is there than to share a good meal without having to think about working onboard? Saga Farmann arrived at the riverside «Port Cetate Cultural Center» for a celebration with local food and music. The center was created by Mircea Dinescu, a prominent Romanian poet, journalist and editor. After our immeditate needs for food and drinks were satisfied, a musical menu opened up. The crew reciprocated and under captain Karl's lead, they performed the «Saga Farmann» song.
2023-07-15
08:36
Day 78: Saturday, July 15, 2023
The medic who felt at home in Romania
Lom is a town in Norway from where Sverre, our medic, hails. Lom is also a town in Bulgaria, which happens to have a harbour by the Danube. Last night Saga Farmann docked there and Sverre felt like home. This morning we left the Lom harbour at sunrise. We have a long distance ahead of us.
2023-07-16
18:06
Day 78: Saturday, July 15, 2023
On Saturday, July 15, we sailed 102 km from Lom (Bulgaria) to Baykal (also Bulgaria). We had sailed 465 km since Belgrade, and there was 465 km left to the Black Sea.
At this point, we passed the paddle steamer "Radetzky" which has an important place in Bulgaria's history.
In 1876, Bulgarian resistance fighters used the ship to attack Ottoman positions. A bit like "Company Linge" in Norway under WWII.
The attack did not go so well, but it was the start of a liberation struggle that made Bulgaria independent, after being subject to the Ottoman Empire since 1396.
2023-07-16
18:49
Day 79: Sunday, July 16, 2023
Stage 6 had sailed 465 km from Belgrade and we had 465 km left before reaching the Black Sea, when we passed the “Radetzky” paddle steamer. We follow the Danube eastwards with Romania on the left (North) side, and Bulgaria on the right (South). The riverbanks are lush, with plains stretching out on the fertile Romanian side, and with vineyards in the Bulgarian hills on the right. Many of the towns we pass were built as harbours for shipping agricultural product up and down the Danube in the 1800s.
But the Romans also built towns and fortresses here, even bridges across the Danube. Yesterday, when the ship was in Baikal, we visited the ruins of Oescus, a few kilometers from the port of Baikal.
In 328 AD, Emperor Constantine opened a bridge across the river which was more than 2 km long. Impressive. Hooray for the Romans, hooray for us!
On Sunday evening, we are approaching Nikopol (last picture: map from Marinetraffic) on our way to Svishtov. Today's distance will be 87 km, and after that we have 64 km to Ruse, where we will stay for two nights.
2023-07-17
21:13
Day 80: Monday, July 17, 2023
Saga Farmann today reached Ruse in Bulgaria, where we received a warm welcome from town officials and the media.
The Deputy Mayor, Mrs. Zlatomira Stefanova, greeted the ship. In her honour, Saga Farmann's hornblower played an extra powerful fanfare.
Local media interviewed captain Karl (Jan Kristian Karlsen) who assured them that the vikings come in peace this time.
The ship will welcome visitors on Ponton 10 tomorrow, July 18, from 6 to 8 PM. (18.00 to 20.00)
2023-07-19
08:45
Day 81, Tuesday 18. July
- The vikings are coming, this used to be a threat
Yesterday Saga Farmann welcomed several hundred visitors to the ship docked in the harbour of Ruse, Bulgaria. Our visit to Ruse has been well-published in Bulgarian media, and a lot of people found the way to the pier where the vikingship was safely docked. Visitors were greeted by horn signals, friendly guiding, and not the least: Norwegian moose salami.
2023-07-20
14:10
Day 83, Thursday 20 of July
We hope to inspire others to build historical ships
The Danube is a mighty river which has had a profound impact on the history of Europe. For centuries it served as the northern border of the Roman empire, and most of the towns we pass have a history dating back to Roman times. The Roman name for Ruse is "Sexaginta Prista", which means "a city of 60 ships". When Saga Farmann sails through, we hope to inspire a reconstruction of Roman ships. Maybe one day we can photograph Saga Farmann alongside such ship, meanwhile we show you some more photos of our ship and some of its current crew.
Like Armstrong and Aldrin, the vikings did things no-one had done before - so today we celebrate innovation.
2023-07-22
06:58
Day 83, Thursday 20. July
Breakfast is an important meal
Saga Farmann has 10 people on board, all with nutritional needs. When we have been on the rivers and canals, we would have breakfast and lunch on the ship while sailing, and enjoy a local restaurant in the harbour where we dock at night. In Silistra we had an excellent breakfast with ingredients sourced from the local supermarket. Silistra was the last port in Bulgaria and from now on we will have Romania on both sides.
2023-07-22
07:07
Day 84, Friday 21 of July
Entering the Black Sea Canal
Saga Farmann today reached a milestone in the Saga Asis 2023 expedition when it left the Danube river and entered the Danube-Black Sea Canal. The canal has a dark history with political prisoners being forced to work under difficult conditions in 1949-1953. Today, the canal will provide us with a short and safe passage to Constanta, our destination on the Black Sea coast.
2023-07-22
07:20
Day 84, 21 of July 2023
Passing the Black Sea Canal and the last locks for Saga Farmann on this journey
Today, Saga Farmann sailed through the Black Sea Canal to reach Constanta on the coast. On the way, we went through two locks, and the process took longer than we had anticipated. So, we did not reach our final destination in Constanta (which is the Tomis port) as planned, but found shelter in the industrial port close to the Canal entrance. This is a busy port with many huge ships that easily dwarfed us. For the crew of Stage 6, this was our last night alone on the ship. With a glorious sunset to remember. Tomorrow the new crew will join us, we will clean the ship, and leave her in the capable hands of the new captain and his crew.
2023-07-24
12:42
Day 85, Saturday 22. of July
Docking in Constanta in Romania for the penultimate crew exchange
On day 85 of our epical journey, Saga Farmann entered the Tomis Guest harbour. It was Saturday morning at 07.40, and the ship had left the industrial harbour less than two hours earlier, at 05.51. The crew of stage 6 were received by Tonie E. and Kristian J. who are members of the next crew.
2023-07-24
12:59
Day 85, Saturday 22 of July
Romanian TV came to the harbour to meet the peaceful vikings
Around noon, Romanian TV visited us for an interview. At that time, Saga Farman was ship-shape after four (!) hours of cleaning. Elis and Harald were "on duty" whereas the rest of crew-6 had gone for a shower or a rest in a hotel room. The new crew had started to appear on the pier.
2023-07-24
13:16
Day 86, Sunday 23. July
Almost like a jungle
On Sunday the crews from stage six and seven were invited for a trip on the Danube delta. Sixteen people took part in the excursion into the European jungle.
For lunch, we stopped at a local fish-restaurant on the riverside, for soup and fried fish – from the river. The blue colour on the buildings and furniture is particular for the families of the old Russian refugees coming her in olden times.
After lunch on Sunday, the boat stopped at Letea where we jumped on a "lorry-bus" to go into the woods. We were lucky to see some of the 600 wild horses living here. And we found several oak trees. We measured around of them. The circumference was 3,14 Harald-stretches.
The river teemed with birds – in one of the pictures you can see a swan – someone said it was Daddy Swan - with his children in tow. We also saw pelicans and eagles. You can also spot a tower for bird watching. And we got impressed with the stork’s engineering abilities, how do they manage to keep the nest from tilting when the whole family is home?
This was in Letea, close to the Ukraine border, and the realities of life suddenly came closer.
2023-07-23
12:51
Day 84, Friday 21. July
Beautiful present
Since the start in Tønsberg, we have had many guests omboard, dignitaries, press, TV-crews and vikings. But every now and again, a visitor stands out, like Gheorghe Caraiman, an artist living in Constanta. He made a painting of the ship, and came onboard with the present. Ellis received it on behalf of the vikings.
2023-07-25
07:55
Day 87 Monday 24 July
The first days will be test - days, testing the ropes, the sail, the winch, the ballast and the crew - to prepare for sailing
Checking the "barrel" and the rope on the winch, and checking all the ropes before sailing! Today we will do a test trip to check the ballast
On Monday, July 24, we prepared for hoisting the mast after breakfast, and at 12 AM the mast was in its place. Yuhuu!
After the mast was upright, we needed a "monkey" to fasten the ropes.
The Honorary Consul for Norway in Constanta, Mr.Lazar, came to have a look at the ship ready for sailing.
2023-07-28
08:18
Day 91, Friday July 28
Day 91, Friday July 28: Saga Farmann has just passed (at 8.23 AM) the Nos Shabla lighthouse on the Bulgarian Coast at the Black Sea. We are using our SeaDrive pods. Speed around 6 knots.
We started at 6 AM this morning from Mangalia (Romania), and aiming for Balchik or Varna (Bulgaria) in the evening. We have SUNNY weather again after two hours of sailing in rain and thunderstorm yesterday.
2023-07-27
22:10
Day 90, July 27
We started early this morning, 0630 AM, hoping to reach Varna or Balchik in Bulgaria, but after four to five hours of real SAILING under wet conditions (lots of rain) - and of those hours were three hours of lightning and thunder, we gave up, and sset course for Mangalia where we after three tries, finally found a place at the pier. Luckily, this was in the inner part of the port, and many people came to visit us. The rain has now stopped, and we will start at 04AM tomorrow.
2023-07-28
21:24
Day 91, July 28
On Friday, July 28, we knew there would be increasing winds against us, so it was decided to go early in the morning using motors and hope to pass Nos Kaliakra before it would be impossible. But we did not need to turn back to Mangalia, instead we reached our primary goal Varna. The 58 nautical miles were done in 11 hours. We met the Border Control boat on our way, and in the harbour Vidar from Nøtterøy (!) waited for us!
2023-07-29
14:22
Day 92, July 29
We started early from Varna, about 05.30 because the sea is most calm in the morning. With the winds still against us, we had no other option than using the pods again. The distance was not so long, so we came to the Sunny Beach marina around 11. This time we did not need to look for diesel and petrol - on the pier was a truck with all facilities!
After two small hours in this modern marina, everyone had got a shower, and a few of us had tried the beach and had a swim. At 1PM we continued to the old town of Nessebar. A warm lunch was made on the ship, very tasty. The rest of the day was spent in the town.
2023-07-30
14:25
Day 93 , July 30
Out of harbour at 2AM, running shifts of 2 hrs. This paid us well back, the sea was flat as a floor. At 1030 we turned off the motors and had a combined surprise MOB rescue and a delightful swim session far out in the Black sea. Continued at 12, came to Tsarevo at 13.30. Parked the ship "the mediterranean way", i.e. not longside this time.
Tsarevo is a cute little town, we went to different bars for a drink. Besides that, it is the last chance to check out from Bulgaria. Plans for Monday had been made by Nina and Jan on the way from Nesebar, they shared them with the crew and got "thumbs up" for a long leg (20-24 Tsarevo- Bosporus on Tuesday).
In Tsarevo we met Adrian Zlatkov, who has been in contact with Kristian J since May. This was a great clue, he helped us solve important logstics operations immediately! We invited him to our restaurant dinner at 7PM at the Taverna. Adrian had driven 5 hrs on his motorbike from Sofia, so he is a great viking history fan. He even slept 2 hrs on the deck with us before driving home.
2023-07-31
22:40
Day 94, July 31
A lot of people have put a lot of work into the project
They are there
2023-07-31
05:30
Day 94, Monday 31. July
The crew got to hoist the sail
Sailing the Black Sea - an old dream coming true!
2023-07-30
20:34
Day 93, 30. July 2023
Who will go the plank?
Sleeping next to the Black Pearl, the last night before coming into Bosporus and Miklagard comes with an almost full moon.
2023-08-05
23:59
Day 97, 3 August 2023
The ship is moored in Istanbul
The Saga Farmann is moored in Istanbul. Some had doubts we could do it, but we did!
2023-08-01
07:24
Day 95, August 1st 2023
Bosporus-N to the marina outside Bosporus-S
After the late arrival on Monday evening, we were eager to have our passports checked in. We had to go through the Bosporus strait to do this at the office at the southern end of the strait, so we asked the Coast Guard to follow us through. It was a really pleasant and special feeling to pass under the bridges and see the people and boats and some big ships.
We were not allowed to sail, so we had to go by the electrical pods.
We arrived at Setur Marina around 4 PM and got a nice longside pier place. A welcome committee was there, consisting of the Chief of the Marina and some other people, among those from the Rahmi Koch Museum.
2023-08-02
07:26
Day 96, 2. August 2023
Receiving guests
So, Wednesday August 2, we decided to use the day to clean the ship for her to be ready for the next crew. The day was really hot from the morning, but we knew the temperature would reach a peak between 12 and 17, so we tried to finish the work as early as possible.
After the work, we enjoyed kebab, french fries and rice, brought to us on the ship.
A large group of people visited us at 4 PM. Professor Ufuk, Assistant Professor Taner and several other people came to see the ship. They brought flowers and fruits, and we had many fruitful discussions.
2023-08-03
12:31
Day 97, 3. August 2023
We have a shared interest in nautical excavations
We were invited to the Rahmi Koch Museum on Wednesday, and a minibus came to the harbour on Thursday morning to take us there.
The Rahmi Koch Technical Museum was founded in 1994 and consists of many large collections of many kinds. Old cars, steam engines, aeroplanes, model railway scenario, toys, ships, ships in a bottle and even more. We were even invited to come inside the restaurant wagon presented to the Sultan by Kaiser Wilhelm in 1917.
After the visit to the museum, we went to the excavation site where Professor Ufuk and his staff are working to find old ships and other historical material. And in the evening, most of us visited Nardis Jazz Club to enjoy a concert.
2023-08-01
19:30
Day 95, August 1. 2023
Having a nice dinner, knowing that all is well with the ship and crew
Harald Ueland has been on the ship from the very first day, 29 of April. He has passed over the waterways of Europe as the first viking to do this whole voyage. Time for a toast.
2023-08-02
23:59
Day 96, Wednesday 2. of August 2023
Here is the moon at midnight
Setur Marina
2023-08-13
22:01
Day 100: Sunday, August 6, 2023
After a few days in SeturMarinas, Saga Farmann was given a more central place in the harbour. More people came to see the ship, and crew number 8 took over for crew number 7.
On Sunday morning, August 6, crew 7 and crew 8 had breakfast together in restaurant Midpoint.
On this special day, Harald "Whitebeard" Ueland, who has sailed all the way from Tønsberg, started on his day number 100 as a crew member.
2023-08-14
21:31
Day 100-106, Sunday to Saturday, August 6-12, 2023
Between August 6 and August 12, we have been sailing several days. Here's a small collection of photos describing some necessary tasks to make the sail work.
In order to get the sail up, we must get the beam 90 degrees on the ship's length and hoist the sail.
When the beam with the sail is all the way up, we must handle all the ropes so the sail can make use of the wind the best way possible.
When we are sailing, we can see a green line looking down into the sea at the rear of the ship. This phenomenon is called "Grønnålen" in Norwegian.
When we finish the sailing, we must lower the sail, get the beam back parallel to the ship's length, and pack the sail.
2023-08-14
22:27
Day 108-109: Monday-Tuesday, August 14-15, 2023
Saga Farmann is supposed to stay at the Rahmi M Koch Museum through the winter. But the Galata Bridge is to low to be passed under. There is a lot of traffic over the bridge all day, including cars and Tramway line 1, and therefore we must wait for the bridge to be opened. This will happen at 2 AM (local time) this night, Tuesday, August 15, in the morning.
Bridges number 2 and 3 are called Halich Bridge and Atatürk Bridge.
You can follow us when we go into the Golden Horn and up to the museum. Check on www.marinetraffic.com and write 257081140 in the Search field.