On its way to Ocean City, Md., the historic 115-foot replica Viking ship Draken made an unscheduled stop in Lewes Aug. 20. Sailing south from Long Island, favorable northeast winds put the ship ahead of its scheduled time to dock in Ocean City requiring a stop in Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken gets under sail once it leaves Delaware Bay and enters the Atlantic Ocean on its way south to Ocean City, Md. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
It’s all hands on deck for a day of maintenance at the Lewes public dock. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Two of the 30 crew members wash the deck. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
On board, Draken is a maze of ropes and sail – all 3,000 square feet of it. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Capt. Bjorn Ahlander, who is Swedish, has been with Draken since the beginning in 2012. He captained the ship during its voyage across the Atlantic Ocean following the route of Leif Erikson, who is credited with discovering America. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken was up at the Lewes public docks until early Aug. 22. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken is on an East Coast tour with area stops in Ocean City, Md., and Philadelphia. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Lewes Harbor has a unique visitor – an ocean-crossing replica Viking longboat. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Crew members apply tar to the ship during a stopover in Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
A dramatic dragon head adorns the bow of the ship. Draken translates to dragon in English. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Crew members take advantage of a day off the sea to work on the ship in preparation for upcoming tour stops. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Jesse Bear of Nashua, N.H., applies what the crew refers to as tar to the side of the ship. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
The Viking longboat heads out to the Atlantic on its way to Ocean City, Md. NICK ROTH PHOTO
The Draken leaves Roosevelt Inlet in Lewes. NICK ROTH PHOTO
The ship makes the turn out of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal and into Roosevelt Inlet. NICK ROTH PHOTO
The ship slowly exited Lewes via the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. NICK ROTH PHOTO
Draken’s mast sports the Lewes city flag a Lewes Yacht Club burgee. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
The Draken crew enjoys Kings ice cream onboard the ship Wednesday night. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Capt. Bjorn Ahlander has a mixture of chocolate and mint chocolate chip King’s ice cream. He said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity and interest from Lewes residents. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
A crew of 30, who are mostly volunteers, will call Draken home for next few months on its East Coast tour. Crew members dip into Kings ice cream Aug. 21. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
With the Norwegian flag flying, Draken leaves Lewes Aug. 22 via Roosevelt Inlet. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken prepares to enter the Delaware Bay Aug. 22 as it departs Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Lewes Yacht Club Commodore Bert Keller, left, presents a club burgee to Draken Capt. Bjorn Ahlander. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken is under full sail as it enters the ocean bound for Ocean City. SUE INGRAM KELLER PHOTO
On its way to Ocean City, Md., the historic 115-foot replica Viking ship Draken made an unscheduled stop in Lewes Aug. 20. Sailing south from Long Island, favorable northeast winds put the ship ahead of its scheduled time to dock in Ocean City requiring a stop in Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken gets under sail once it leaves Delaware Bay and enters the Atlantic Ocean on its way south to Ocean City, Md. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
It’s all hands on deck for a day of maintenance at the Lewes public dock. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Two of the 30 crew members wash the deck. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
On board, Draken is a maze of ropes and sail – all 3,000 square feet of it. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Capt. Bjorn Ahlander, who is Swedish, has been with Draken since the beginning in 2012. He captained the ship during its voyage across the Atlantic Ocean following the route of Leif Erikson, who is credited with discovering America. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken was up at the Lewes public docks until early Aug. 22. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken is on an East Coast tour with area stops in Ocean City, Md., and Philadelphia. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Lewes Harbor has a unique visitor – an ocean-crossing replica Viking longboat. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Crew members apply tar to the ship during a stopover in Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
A dramatic dragon head adorns the bow of the ship. Draken translates to dragon in English. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Crew members take advantage of a day off the sea to work on the ship in preparation for upcoming tour stops. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Jesse Bear of Nashua, N.H., applies what the crew refers to as tar to the side of the ship. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
The Viking longboat heads out to the Atlantic on its way to Ocean City, Md. NICK ROTH PHOTO
The Draken leaves Roosevelt Inlet in Lewes. NICK ROTH PHOTO
The ship makes the turn out of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal and into Roosevelt Inlet. NICK ROTH PHOTO
The ship slowly exited Lewes via the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. NICK ROTH PHOTO
Draken’s mast sports the Lewes city flag a Lewes Yacht Club burgee. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
The Draken crew enjoys Kings ice cream onboard the ship Wednesday night. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Capt. Bjorn Ahlander has a mixture of chocolate and mint chocolate chip King’s ice cream. He said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity and interest from Lewes residents. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
A crew of 30, who are mostly volunteers, will call Draken home for next few months on its East Coast tour. Crew members dip into Kings ice cream Aug. 21. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
With the Norwegian flag flying, Draken leaves Lewes Aug. 22 via Roosevelt Inlet. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken prepares to enter the Delaware Bay Aug. 22 as it departs Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Lewes Yacht Club Commodore Bert Keller, left, presents a club burgee to Draken Capt. Bjorn Ahlander. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken is under full sail as it enters the ocean bound for Ocean City. SUE INGRAM KELLER PHOTOThe Vikings landed unexpectedly and took Lewes by storm.
The historic Norwegian longboat Draken Harald Hårfagre was headed to Ocean City, Md., from Long Island, N.Y., on a 14-harbor-stop East Coast tour, but the ship made such good time with a brisk northeast wind, it was almost two days ahead of schedule.
Swedish Capt. Bjorn Ahlander said the ship anchored near the Delaware Breakwater for most of the day Aug. 20 and then decided to cruise into Lewes. The captain said it was a wise decision as the town opened its arms to the ship and crew.
Ahlander said he was overwhelmed by the generosity of the people of Lewes and their interest in the ship. A nonstop parade of people appeared on the public docks all day Aug. 21. The crew and captain answered endless questions from curious onlookers.
The crew was treated to happy hour at Dogfish Head Inn and later dipped into Kings Ice Cream. Enjoying King's chocolate ice cream, the captain said, “I think we should try to come back here.”
When Ahlander went to pay the dockage fee for two nights, he was told it was already paid. He said some young people from Lewes approached him about volunteering as crew.
“We have been touched. We are so glad we docked here,” he said.
Draken departed Lewes early Aug. 22 under motorized power until the crew hoisted the large 3,200-square-foot sail as the ship entered the Atlantic Ocean.
It will dock in Ocean City from Aug. 22-29 and be open for tours. Crew members will set up a replica Viking village, sell merchandise and relive Viking history.
Most crew members are volunteers, with a few sailing professionals. “Some have no experience, but they learn very quickly, and we all have to work together,” Ahlander said.
The ship has tent-like sleeping quarters that can accommodate 20 crew members at a time. Crew takes turns sleeping and on deck 24 hours a day when sailing.
Retracing Erikson's voyage
According to its website, the ship is the world's largest Viking ship built based on archaeological study of discovered ships, using old boatbuilding traditions and the legends of Viking ships from the Norse sagas. It's named after Harald Hårfagre, the first Viking King of Norway, who reigned from 872 to 930.
After two year's of construction, from 2010 to 2012, in Norway, and some shakedown excursions, in April 2016, the ship headed out on the two-month Expedition America, retracing the route of Leif Erikson, who led the first European expedition in 1001 to the New World.
After stops in Iceland and Greenland, Draken, like Erikson, landed in Newfoundland, Canada. From there, it went on an extensive four-month tour of East Coast ports in Canada and New England and even ports in the Great Lakes. It returned to the East Coast and Mystic Seaport via the Erie Canal.
Ahlander, 70, said after 14 days of retirement he was talked into taking on the role of Draken captain. “I fell in love with the ship. It's so fast and the crew was so good,” he said.
For the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, 4,000 sailors applied to be crew members. The final crew consisted of 16 men and 16 women, half professional sailors and half volunteers.
Among the experienced captain's accomplishments is sailing an historic Swedish ship from Sweden to China and back.
Draken is on an East Coast tour, leaving July 9 from its homeport in Mystic Seaport, Conn., with area stops in Ocean City, Philadelphia, Aug. 31-Sept. 6, Washington D.C., Oct. 5-15, – and perhaps another stop in Lewes.
For more information on the Ocean City stop, go to: https://www.drakenhh.com/ocean-city
THE DRAKEN
Length: 115 feet
Beam: 26 feet
Mast: 76 feet
Sail: 3,200 square feet
Draft: 8 feet
Oars: 25 pairs
Launched: June 5, 2012, Haugesund, Norway
On its way to Ocean City, Md., the historic 115-foot replica Viking ship Draken made an unscheduled stop in Lewes Aug. 20. Sailing south from Long Island, favorable northeast winds put the ship ahead of its scheduled time to dock in Ocean City requiring a stop in Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken gets under sail once it leaves Delaware Bay and enters the Atlantic Ocean on its way south to Ocean City, Md. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
It’s all hands on deck for a day of maintenance at the Lewes public dock. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Two of the 30 crew members wash the deck. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
On board, Draken is a maze of ropes and sail – all 3,000 square feet of it. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Capt. Bjorn Ahlander, who is Swedish, has been with Draken since the beginning in 2012. He captained the ship during its voyage across the Atlantic Ocean following the route of Leif Erikson, who is credited with discovering America. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken was up at the Lewes public docks until early Aug. 22. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken is on an East Coast tour with area stops in Ocean City, Md., and Philadelphia. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Lewes Harbor has a unique visitor – an ocean-crossing replica Viking longboat. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Crew members apply tar to the ship during a stopover in Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
A dramatic dragon head adorns the bow of the ship. Draken translates to dragon in English. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Crew members take advantage of a day off the sea to work on the ship in preparation for upcoming tour stops. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Jesse Bear of Nashua, N.H., applies what the crew refers to as tar to the side of the ship. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
The Viking longboat heads out to the Atlantic on its way to Ocean City, Md. NICK ROTH PHOTO
The Draken leaves Roosevelt Inlet in Lewes. NICK ROTH PHOTO
The ship makes the turn out of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal and into Roosevelt Inlet. NICK ROTH PHOTO
The ship slowly exited Lewes via the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. NICK ROTH PHOTO
Draken’s mast sports the Lewes city flag a Lewes Yacht Club burgee. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
The Draken crew enjoys Kings ice cream onboard the ship Wednesday night. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Capt. Bjorn Ahlander has a mixture of chocolate and mint chocolate chip King’s ice cream. He said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity and interest from Lewes residents. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
A crew of 30, who are mostly volunteers, will call Draken home for next few months on its East Coast tour. Crew members dip into Kings ice cream Aug. 21. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
With the Norwegian flag flying, Draken leaves Lewes Aug. 22 via Roosevelt Inlet. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken prepares to enter the Delaware Bay Aug. 22 as it departs Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Lewes Yacht Club Commodore Bert Keller, left, presents a club burgee to Draken Capt. Bjorn Ahlander. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO
Draken is under full sail as it enters the ocean bound for Ocean City. SUE INGRAM KELLER PHOTO



