A few months ago, shipbuilder Roger Pande Løvall told us about how Storm Amy in Norway provided the Oseberg Viking Heritage Foundation with an unexpected bonanza of fallen oak for its replica of the Gokstad ship. Now, Roger has informed The Viking Herald of a special voyage to collect some enormous oak trees from an island near the site of Kaupang, the ancient Viking trade hub.
En route. Source: Roger Pande Løvall / Oseberg Viking Heritage Foundation
Too good to miss
The Oseberg Viking Heritage Foundation has already built two authentic replica ships of Viking vessels – the Saga Farmann, which is currently voyaging around Europe, and the Saga Oseberg, which can be found in the Norwegian city of Tønsberg. Now, they are working on a third, a replica of the famous Gokstad ship.
The team relies on authentic Viking Age techniques and materials to construct these vessels, and only use fallen timber, not cut down living trees. This means the shipbuilders are constantly on the lookout for new wood.
Last year, they had received a tip about some available timber, but had been unable to pick it up at the time. The solution? Wait until the right moment before heading back in a Viking vessel to pick it up for the ultimate Sunday excursion.
“We had an enjoyable trip,” Roger confirms, with the voyage taking place on July 5. “Last autumn, we received word of some oak trees that had blown down on an island just off the coast near the old Viking town of Kaupang.
“Because the timber was so heavy, we couldn't transport it in the small boats we were using at the time. So last weekend we set out from Sandefjord with the Viking ship Gaia and sailed to the island to retrieve the timber.”
The Gaia on the home leg. Source: Stian Tveten
Steeped in history
The work of the Oseberg Viking Heritage Foundation – also known as We Are Vikings – is steeped in history. Inspired by Norse seafaring traditions and the historic Viking ships found in Norway such as the Oseberg and Gokstad, the foundation strives to preserve the shipbuilding and sailing methods of the Viking Age.
As they sailed along in Gaia, itself a replica of the Gokstad ship,built in Sandefjord in 1990, the members of the shipbuilding team couldn’t help but be reminded of that rich history. “The route we sailed was likely a busy one during the Viking Age,” Roger confirms. “Kaupang was a major trading hub where many travelers came to buy and sell goods.”
Sandefjord, the town where Roger’s team delivered the wood for processing, has a similar past. “Sandefjord is also home to the Gokstad burial mound, which points to the presence of a powerful leader,” Roger informs The Viking Herald. “This was someone who almost certainly ruled the areas surrounding Kaupang, as well as the site of Heimdal, which was a significant settlement.”
The timber on board. Source: Roger Pande Løvall / Oseberg Viking Heritage Foundation
A job well done
Before departing for home, however, the team had to ensure the timber was ready for transport, carefully sawing the large oak trees into several pieces. “We brought in logs from several oak trees, and naturally, we split them the proper way, using a sledgehammer and wedge. This helped to reduce the weight before hoisting them aboard the ship,” Roger explains.
“We then loaded the timber onto the boat and returned to our processing site in Sandefjord,” Roger explains. “It was a great and interesting experience to successfully carry out this transport of materials.”
The team will be working on the replica of the Gokstad ship throughout the summer, with the new timber a welcome addition. Although other replicas have been made of the Gokstad in the past, it is hoped that the new vessel will be the most accurate yet, with the use of 3D-scan modeling to ensure a precise reconstruction.
The Viking Herald will be sure to keep you up to date with the details of the building process and beyond.
Roger enjoying the journey. Source: Roger Pande Løvall / Oseberg Viking Heritage Foundation
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