Freydis Joanna

The Freydis Joanna

The Freydis Joanna sails into Victoria! Now is your chance to see an authentic replica of a Viking ship that existed around 850 AD. 

Come be a part of this “once in a lifetime” exhibit presented by the Maritime Museum of BC from Saturday, September 19th to the 25th, 2010.

Fashioned from Danish oak and fir, Freydis Joanna was built by Danish craftsmen–using traditional replica tools and methods from the Viking era–in the boat yard of the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark. It took eight months to complete the 6.5m long by 1.4m wide reproduction finished with a mast and sail, rigging and oars.

The original ship, which was found near Oslo, Norway, was part of a larger collection of vessels. It has been surmised that sometime around 900 AD a Viking of great wealth and importance had passed away and was buried with an entourage of ships and various other goods. Among this collection were the large Gokstad (dragonship) and three smaller crafts. Two of these were færings (four-oared ships), one of these being the original that the Freydis Joanna is based upon.

Freydis was the sister of legendary leader of the Vikings, Leif the Lucky who ventured to L’Anse aux Meadows, New Foundland, more than a thousand years ago. She is also recognized in Norse sagas as a strong and fearless leader in her own right. While the latter part of the name, comes from a member of the Sommer family who graciously donated the funds to build Freydis Joanna.

Replica tools used to build the Freydis Joanna