A visitor to the 'Sea Stallion' dressed as a Viking
Today was a chance for some of the crew to see the local area and for the local people to see the crew. The ship was opened up to the public and all through the day people came aboard to see it for themselves. The visitors ranged from Viking enthusiasts, some of whom even came in costume, to tourists who knew nothing about the voyage and were amazed to see a Viking ship moored in the harbour. Many were awestruck by the crew's stories of conditions on board.
The Viking runes in Maeshowe
Meanwhile, we went with Louise and Hans Jacob to visit the extraordinary site of Maeshowe. This is a grassy mound containing a 5000 year old tomb. Its single narrow entrance is perfectly orientated to allow the sun to shine in only on midwinters day. But what makes Maeshowe so special is that over 800 years ago a band of Vikings broke into the chamber and carved runes on the wall that are still visible today. It's thought that the Vikings were seeking shelter from a storm when they stumbled on the tomb. Having accompanied this voyage, it's easy to imagine those Vikings stuck on Orkney waiting for the weather to change and getting bored and restless. Not that today's crew would ever resort to graffiti of course!
Hans Jacob and Louise were both fascinated by the tomb. 'There's an aura about it' said Hans Jacob. Louise even had a go at recognising the runes. It was possible to make out a carving of a mythical dragon-like creature and a walrus as well as the many runic letters. The runes themselves are surprisingly similar to the sort of scratchings that modern day graffiti artists might create. Some of them simply say the name of the carver, a sort of 'Kilroy was here' message. Others refer to women and concern either their beauty or their loose morals. The other favourite topic is treasure with stories boasting of plunder. 'These runes give you an insight into the mind of the people who carved them' said Louise, 'there's so little written material from the time that anything is of tremendous value'.
The Orkney Sailing Club falls victim to the crew of the 'Sea Stallion'
Back in the present day, the 'Sea Stallion' crew weren't sheltering from a storm for once – we even saw the sun a bit today. The crew been staying in a room kindly lent to them by the Orkney Sailing Club. Quite whether the club realised what they were letting themselves in for isn't clear. The room looks chaotic with sleeping bags covering every inch of floor space and damp clothes hanging on every surface. But then if anyone can cope with sleeping in cramped conditions it's this lot.
All being well we set off on the next leg tomorrow. I'm looking out over a beautiful sunset which is hopefully a good sign. It's time to leave the comforts of land and set sail once again.
