Sailing for the Rugged Outdoors

Oslo - A Maritime Influence

The sailor within was summonsed and dutifully we responded.  It was hard not to.... 

Oslo’s history goes back to Viking days (787-1070), so we boned up (sorry!) on the history of these intrepid seafarers at the Viking Museum.  The Vikings once controlled half of Britain, managed to reach Newfoundland and Ireland, and also find the Med.   All in big open rowing boats.  You can’t help but be impressed. 

The three royal burial barges at the Museum were, with a surprising amount of burial goods, only fairly recently discovered (1904-05).  Items vary from leather shoes to intricately carved wheeled wagons, including horses and bullocks. 

Interestingly, the best preserved and most elaborate was Oseberg, the burial conveyance for a Viking Queen. Although this elaborate craft was buried in 834 AD, it may well date from 800 AD.  Some of the elaborately carved items found with it, including two sleighs, were quite amazing, both in their delicate carving and in their condition after so many years.   

Viking Leather Boots

The Cap’n was up for more things maritime so he continued exploring options offered over on the lushly rural Bygdoy Peninsular. 

The Kon-Tiki Museum presents an insight into Thor Heyerdahl’s epic ocean voyages; firstly on the basic, balsa raft, Kon-Tiki (1947), followed by papyrus reed boats (1970).  His intent was to track migratory voyages of ancient peoples across the Pacific. 

The Fram Museum is everything polar.  Centre stage is given to Fram, a famous polar exploration ship, built in 1892; serious construction for a serious environment. However the supporting act, all things to do with polar expeditions, proved equally fascinating.  The Gjoa, in 1906, was the first ship to transit the Northwest Passage.  Adventurous stuff in most inhospitable environments! 

The Maritime Museum (can there ever be too much about boats?) was next on the list to grasp Norway’s leading role as a shipping nation and in particular, maritime exploration.  The panorama video of Norway’s famous coastline completely captivated the Cap’n. 

Finally, we took a quick spin around the inner harbour (of the vast Oslofjord) on a mini-cruise on a rather splendid antique sailing craft.  Were we looking at prospective marina or a replacement for WJ3 then?

We were I think, sailing on the back of one very fine Indian summer.  Would it last?  Who knows - but we had great hopes.  Although sailing the Baltic has perhaps been removed from our list given that we'd rather complain about the heat than the cold!

Akershus Fortress (1290) built to protect Oslo