Monday, August 26th, 2024
Today was a day at sea as we traveled from Greenland to Newfoundland, Canada across the Labrador Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. We left the fog and today was sunny.
Besides walking outside and reading, our highlight of the day was the Premium Wine tasting. It was fun learning about these 5 unfamiliar wines and tasting all of them. Three from France, one from Spain and one from Italy. We also had a variety of cheeses, nuts, grapes, and craisons that were paired with particular wines.
This evening we enjoyed the Viking vocalists show, “The Sound of the Seventies”!
Tuesday, August 27th, 2024
This morning we arrived at L’Anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada. It was located at the tip of the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland.
We were anchored around 8:00 AM and used tender boats to visit.
L’Anse Aux Meadows was the site of the first Norse settlement in the Americas. It was a national historic site and UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) named it a World Heritage site in 1978.
By the statue of Leif Eriksson was this quote on a memorial plaque: “Son of Iceland, grandson of Norway, Ancestor of all who emigrated from the Nordic lands”
The area was discovered in 1960 when a Norwegian explorer and writer, Helge Ingstad, came upon L’Anse Aux Meadows. A local, George Decker, took him to an overgrown area that had bumps and ridges. Ingstad and his archaeologist wife, Anne Stine Ingstad, spent the next eight years here. They had an international team of archaeologists from Norway, Iceland, Sweden, and the United States.
We visited the Visitor’s Center that had displays and artifacts that were found here.
They found the remains of an 11th century Viking basecamp and the remains of 8 buildings that were either dwellings or workshops. These buildings were built of timber as the frame and sod over it.
The area was still an active archeological site. We watched a group working in an area that was fenced off. It was interesting to watch their precision and small steps and digs that they made as they worked.
Another area we walked to was the Norstead Village.
It was a replica of a Viking port of trade and depicted what life would have been like about the same time as the discovered UNESCO site 1.2 miles away.
The village consisted of Snorri, a full scale replica of a Viking ship built in Maine. The name Snorri was the name the Vikings gave the first child born in the New World. It was transported to Greenland and then a crew sailed it to L’Anse Aux Meadows with just powered by a square sail and oars! This sailing was to simulate Lief Eriksson’s voyage here. The boat was 54 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 8 feet deep. It was stored in the boat shed at the village.
“Snorri” a Viking ship replica
There was a chieftain’s hall, a church, and a blacksmith’s shop. We saw locals portraying different Viking roles and many tools and items from that period. You could spend a lot of time here. It was an interesting open air museum and the locals made the experience authentic. They had a axe throwing, weaving and games that you could participate in doing.
Chieftain’s Hall
Outside the church and then inside the church
The Blacksmith shop was next. It was located near the church.
After we visited the Norstead Village we hiked the Iceberg Trail.
Once we were all back on board, we sailed away!
