[Regia-NA] Raven/Viking Update

[Peter James]

While I'm overjoyed to hear that the stabilisation grant has been won, I have to agree with Halv that she never really stood any chance of going to sea again.

Annual trips to the Mid-west are now part of my regular event planning, so I look forward to seeing the old girl again in the future.

Pete -Guthroth Of Colanhomm

"To every man upon this earth, death cometh soon or late;
And how can man die better than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods, 
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: list-regia-na-bounces+peter=citizen.co.uk at lig.net 
> [mailto:list-regia-na-bounces+peter=citizen.co.uk at lig.net] On 
> Behalf Of Folo Watkins
> Sent: 15 November 2007 14:20
> Subject: [Regia-NA] Raven/Viking Update
> 
> Ah, the wonders of the internet. Most of the details come 
> from Jørn Løset of Norway. I find it amusing that I had to 
> talk to someone from Norway to get the skinny on something in 
> Chicago...
> 
> Good Templar Park asked for $52,000 for preservation of the 
> ship, and Partners in Preservation granted them that amount.  
> Full details at 
> http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/649347,2_1_
> AU14_HISTORIC_S1.article
> 
> This is enough for Level 1 preservation ("Preservation as it 
> is now, but stop it from further rotting, nails from rusting 
> etc."). Level
> 2 was to restore "the ship to museum state, but not 
> seaworthy. Display it with full original equipment.make it 
> museum worthy." Level 3 was to restore "the ship back to full 
> seaworthyness, with full gear, rig, sail, oars etc. Involves 
> changing broken ribs and strakes, new rig etc."
> 
> Jørn notes that Captain Anderson published an account of the 
> voyage, etc., in a book published in Norway in 1895. It is 
> called _Vikingefærden_ and is in Norwegian' he doesn't know 
> of any reprints or translations. he saw a copy in a Norwegian 
> library and said it had many photographs.
> 
> The book has information on the journey to New Orleans. "The 
> Viking left Chicago around  Nov.1st and sailed to St. Louis. 
> Date of arrival unknown. 
> 3 weeks later, ca Nov. 21, they left St. Louis and started 
> the Mississippi stage. They arrived New Orleans "2 days 
> before Christmas", Dec. 22. 
> 1893. After that, the ship was "transported" back to Chicago. 
> Maybe towed back by another ship, but this is not mentioned. 
> The end of story wasn't without a bitter taste for capt. 
> Anderson. The ship was promised fundings from the norwegian 
> goverment, ut they did not receive enough to cover the debt. 
> Andersons plan was either to donate the ship to the city of 
> Washington, or to sail it back to  Norway. But in Chicago a 
> group of people raised funds to buy the ship to hand it over 
> to "The Field Columbian Museum" for further exhibition, so it 
> returned to Chicago."
> 
> Jørn 's page is
> http://home.online.no/~joeolavl/viking/viking-kopi-gokstadskipet.htm. 
> It starts out in Norwegian, then has an English translation. 
> It has several nice photos, including a stereo-opticon view!
> 
> Cheers, Folo

>