DR (Denmarks national TV service) have been showing programmes in the last few days regarding the construction of the ship and its been interesting to see these, some of which I'd already seen. So far they've not reached the stage of reporting the actual journey though so details have been scarce on that aspect of the project.
Over all I've been getting a sense that the Viking Ship Museum has allowed itself to be manipulated by various personal and exterior interests to its stated aims in building the ship. DR's programme's don't really ask any impertient questions, but there is a sense of 'cheating' surrounding Havhingsten. Its not so much in the actual ship building, though I've heard rumours that its not as accurate a copy as it should be, but rather in prostituting the ship to cultural and political agenda's for maximum economic gain. I got this impression strongest from the way the ship was dragged across the North Sea so that it wouldn't miss its deadline arrival in Dublin, but even something as apparently innocent as the ships name now seems suspect. It strikes me as being a bit tame that a war ship would be called something as romantic as the 'Sea Stallion from Glendalough'. Its been repeated endlessly that the original ship came from Ireland, as if the Irish had built it and I suspect the Irish aspect is being talked up to get as much political capital for (and funding from) the EU.
Still. When all is said and done, I'm glad they built it. It may be an ill built media whore of a ship , but its still the largest replica Viking war ship ever built and it can't be denied, it looks great! As you can see on the map above, the crew have moved south through the western Scottish islands and are now approaching Ireland. I anticipate they will arrive there, weather permitting, tomorrow (Friday).
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