Galtabäck - a Viking Ship

In 1928 the remains of a viking ship was found between the harbour of Galtabäck (just south of Varberg) and Gamla Köpstad (old merchant's town). The area is called Lerjan and during the middle ages it was a protected harbour. One more ship was found in the same area.

 In 2004 a team started building a copy of the original Galtabäck ship. It took them three years before they could go on their maiden voyage. This weekend marked the ten year annevarsary of when they started building the ship. To celebrate the anneversary Galtabäck and three other ships entered Varberg Harbour last Friday.

The celebrations ended when all the ships left the harbour at four o'clock this afternoon. They were magnificent! The Galtabäck sail from April to November and can be found in the harbour of Varberg every other wednesday if the weather permits and if it is not there it is probably at the harbour in Galtabäck where there also is a museum where you can see the original.

Vidfamne up front and Sigrid Storråda in the back.

Two of the other ships were also Viking ships. Vidfamne is an interpretation of Äskekärrskeppet that was found in 1933 in Göta Älv. The original sailed during the 900's.

Vidfamne,

Sigrid Storråda is the second ship. The name is taken from the woman Sigrid who is said to have been a very beautiful, rich and powerful woman who lived in Västergötland (a province in the southwest of Sweden) during the 10th century. She was married to two of the most powerful Viking kings; Erik Segersäll and Sven Tveskägg. She was also the mother of Olof Skötkonung, our first christian king, and Knut the Great.

Sigfrid Storråda

The last big ship was Arwen, a copy of a French fishing boat.

A French Fishing Boat

Links to visit:
http://www.vidfamne.se/ The Viking Ship Society

Sources:
Pamhlets from the ships.

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