Viking Exploration

This was our first time taking the zodiacs to shore. The day was foggy and rainy. Wind was about 15 knots, so there were fair waves. We were advised to wear rain gear, and a good thing that turned out to be. Temperature was cool— probably about eleven degrees.

By the time we got all organized, it was mid-morning. There is a door at he side of the ship which opens to stairs, and we descend these to the zodiacs. We were well-instructed, but it was still scary getting onto this small, bobbing rubber craft, with the waves splashing over the side, and the wind blowing hard enough that I almost lost my hat (even though it was strapped on). The trip to shore was only about half a kilometre, but that was more than enough for me.

Our first stop was to Norstead, a reconstruction of a Viking settlement sponsored by the local Tourist Association and Chamber of Commerce. It had closed for the season, but they re-opened it just for us. And I thought it was terrific. They have a Viking boat, built from models found archeologically. It is huge in one way, but seems small to go across the Atlantic. It would hold about thirty people, who would work and sleep in the boat for the three to four weeks required to go from Greenland to Newfoundland.




There was a long house, which would have housed about forty people (perhaps including five or six women). And they were able to demonstrate weaving, cooking, as well as blacksmithing (they got iron from the local bog and smelted it down). Food was grown (there were chickens and pigs, turnips and cabbage), hunted or fished. But the Norse were a trading peoples, so they had spices, including cumin. However, the interior of the building was quite smoky.

It is understood that women lived on average to their mid-thirties only. They would marry at thirteen, have children by fifteen, and be dead before forty. The men didn't live a lot longer, but at least were outside, so didn't have the thick smoke the women were subjected to.




The weather was turning bad, so we foreshortened the visit, and moved on to the National Park of L'Anse aux Meadows. The interpretive centre had some artifacts found at the site, but the main part was going through the excavated areas and the re-constructed buildings. And we were glad to be inside, since it was now raining, and windy.

The main building we saw inside of was again a long house, with a central kitchen and sleeping area, the chief's quarters on one end, and the forge on the other end. They had a sword and shield there, felt to be in the style and size of the Viking ones. Those guys were strong! It took a bit of heft to carry both of them.

But we had to get back to the ship, since the weather was turning ugly. Getting back across on the zodiacs was not fun, and we got quite wet on the outside. But we all made it back safely, and were glad to be warm and dry.

in the evening, we watched the interpretive film from the Park Service about the settlement. And again went to bed early. During the afternoon, we had moved to Red Bay for our next day's adventure.

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Location:L'Anse aux Meadows