Emotional scenes as new Viking ship launched in Norway

The Hardraade Viking Ship Association has launched a full-scale Viking ship at Steinsfjorden, a branch of Lake Tyrifjorden in western Norway.

The launch comes after eight years of endeavor from a large group of boatbuilding volunteers and Viking enthusiasts. Ragnar Wergeland, the man behind the project, described it as the "perfect day."

Quite a rush

After eight years of planning and construction, the Hardraade Viking Ship Association's Viking ship replica was finally launched on Saturday, August 30, into the waters of Steinsfjorden.

The ship was transported to the launch site from its nearby place of construction at Sundvollen in the municipality of Hole. As Ragnar Wergeland, the association's founder and leader, told The Viking Herald, launch day turned out to be a huge success.

"I have never had such a big adrenaline kick in my life," Ragnar told The Viking Herald. "There were more than 1,000 people on land, and at least as many in the water in around 200 boats."

"It was a perfect day, beyond anything I could ever have imagined. People haven't stopped congratulating us. There are so many emotions, euphoria, ecstasy, happiness."

The launch was attended by the press, local residents, Viking and sailing enthusiasts, local dignitaries, and friends and family.

As Ragnar recalled, the moment when the ship entered the lake was truly memorable. "There were 30 of us on board, and as the ship entered the water, everyone was jubilant and applauding. My wife told me that everyone in the bleachers rose to their feet." 

The ship is a replica of the Klåstad cargo ship, discovered in 1893 and fully excavated in 1970. Photo: Hardraade Viking Ship Association

A royal tribute

The pre-launch ceremony also revealed the official name of the ship: the Queen Åsta.

The association itself, of course, is named after Harald Hardråde, otherwise known as Harald Sigurdsson, the famous Viking hero who ruled Norway from 1046 to 1066 and hailed from Stein Gård, just a short distance from Steinsfjorden.

As Ragnar told The Viking Herald, however, the team never planned to name the vessel itself after the king.

"We decided the Hardraade name was a little too 'hard,'" Ragnar joked. "This is a peaceful ship. Women also played an important role in Viking society."

"We asked for local suggestions, and the two main choices were Ellisiv, the princess of Kyiv who married Harald Hardraade, and Queen Åsta. As the mother of two Norwegian kings, Harald Hardraade and Saint Olaf, Queen Åsta was very influential."

The crowd saw the ship splashed with water as part of the traditional Norwegian ship-naming ceremony, before the vessel was launched to the applause of onlookers.

The event was attended by the president of the Norwegian parliament and several local mayors, who watched as the sailors rowed through the water on a successful journey around the lake. 

• READ MORE: All you need to know about Viking ships

A traditional Norwegian naming ritual took place before the launch, with water splashed over the bow. Photo: Hardraade Viking Ship Association

A labor of love

Queen Åsta stands at just over 20 meters in length, with a weight of around 4.7 tons. It is a replica of the Klåstad, a Viking cargo ship discovered on a Norwegian farm in 1893, though it was only fully excavated in 1970.

The Klåstad ship is one of only four preserved Viking ships ever found in Norway, together with the Gokstad, Oseberg, and Tune.

As Ragnar told The Viking Herald, the launch of Queen Åsta represented the culmination of many years of hard labor, encompassing an estimated 120,000 hours of work from volunteers.

"The initial idea was dreamed up in November 2016, but the first meeting was held in March 2018," Ragnar told The Viking Herald.

"We had put out a call for volunteers, but decided the project wouldn't work if fewer than 20 people turned up. If we had 20 to 30, there was a chance, and if there were more than 40, we would probably be okay. In the end, 83 people came to the meeting!"

Ragnar and the rest of the team have continued to enjoy the support of enthusiastic and reliable volunteers as they worked to turn their dream into a reality.

"Around 25 or 30 of the people from that initial gathering have been with us ever since, and others have joined too. Today, we have around 80 active members," Ragnar explained.

"People always ask us for advice on how to build a Viking ship, and my top tip is to provide hot food. We always have a hot lunch outside at 1 pm every week. As long as it's not colder than –15 °C, mind you. Then we have to move indoors!" 

The vessel's name honors Queen Åsta, the mother of Saint Olaf and Harald Hardråde. Photo: Hardraade Viking Ship Association

The next step

Even after the successful launch, there is much work to do. "We still need to build a rig, with a mast and sails," Ragnar admitted.

"We want that to be ready for next summer, as we are planning a long tour. We would like to visit various towns in Norway and perhaps also head further afield."

In the meantime, there are plenty of other events and activities on the horizon. The association has formed a boat club that will offer practical and theoretical training for all members who want to learn to row and sail.

The team will also be welcoming several local school classes to visit the site, and open days for the general public are held on Saturdays from 11 am to 3 pm throughout the year.

Ragnar, however, is in need of a short break after all the excitement. "I'm traveling to a small island for four days," he told The Viking Herald. "I'm going fishing, and won't be answering any calls or messages!"

As he enjoys the well-deserved peace and quiet, however, we can be sure that his mind will drift back to the moment when Queen Åsta finally entered the water.

"I can't even put it into words," Ragnar admitted. "It was an incredible day. It's simply beyond description."

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