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Most people say Christopher Columbus discovered America. But don't say that to Captain Gunnar Marel Eggertsson. He knows better.
Eggertsson is a direct descendant of Leif Eriksson, a Viking who set foot on North American soil some 500 years before Columbus was hitting the Queen of Spain up for money to find a quicker route to Asia.
Eggertsson was born and spent the majority of his life on the Westman Islands, just off the coast of Iceland. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, he became a commercial fisherman at the age of 11.
He was told about his heritage when young, and was always proud of it. So when the Scandinavian government gave him the opportunity--and money--to sail from Iceland to America, Eggertsson accepted, hands down.
This voyage was to mark the millennial anniversary of Leif Eriksson's journey to the New World. And Eggertsson and his crew of eight were to have none of the modern nautical equipment used today. They were asked to sail 5,000 miles using only the equipment Eriksson would have had a millennium ago.
So Eggertsson set about constructing a 75-foot-long replica of a true Viking ship. Not only did he design the ship but, with minimal help, he built the vessel as well. This project took Eggertsson a full year.
"I thought it was my duty to build the ship, and sail it as well," said Eggertsson, who has been building ships since he was 25.
Named the Islendingur, this ship now sits on the Hudson River off the island of Manhattan, preparing to make its tour of the East Coast. It already has docked at ports in Greenland, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.
When boarding the ship, you are overcome by the strong smell of fish. Hunks of shark meat line the exterior cabin walls, hung on huge hooks and drying in the sun.
"We fished all the way," says Eggertsson, pointing to the meat while taking a bite of salmon the chef just finished cooking.
In fact, the whole crew is busy cooking and eating various types of fish, all caught during the four months they spent on the North Atlantic. The crew consists of people who have grown up together, all of them making their living from the sea since childhood.
"I've known these people all my life, that's why I picked them. I trust them," Eggertsson said. Docked at West 79th Street and the Hudson River, the Islendingur stands out like a sore thumb amongst the plethora of privileged sailboats. With its old-world design, you cannot help but think back to the times when people struck out on their own, unsure of what they'd find.
"When they first built this type of ship, 1,200 years ago, it took a crew of 70 to sail it," Eggertsson said.
The crew is growing restless and homesick, but remain proud of what they have accomplished.
"Few people know who came to this land first. People were coming here hundreds of years before Columbus, our people," said one crew member.
The Islendingur is a traditional Viking ship, and certainly looks the role. The sides are lined with wooden shields, to protect from arrow attacks. There are two small, cramped cabins. One cabin is called the kitchen, but is really nothing more then a table, booth and hot plate. In the other cabin are the sleeping quarters, nine short bunks stacked up and down and side by side.
When speaking about the voyage, Eggertsson is modest.
"The weather was good to us," he said. "Except around Greenland, the ice there was really bad. It took a lot of work and seamanship to get through there. We fought for our lives for 10 hours. Things were as difficult as they can get at sea. We were lucky to get out of there with our lives."
One of the top crew members is a woman, but the inclusion of a woman on board was not at all an act of political correctness. Women have always played an important role in Viking society. In fact, the widow of Leif Eriksson's brother, Gudridur Thorbjarnardottir, was one of the leaders of the third Viking expedition to North America and the mother of the first European child born in the New World.
Sheepskins lie around on deck drying. Others are strewn about in the sleeping quarters, having been used as blankets during the months spent in the North Atlantic.
"The Icelandic government has been very good to us, as well as America. But this is how we have always made our living, off the land," Eggertsson said, gesturing to the skins.
Touring the ship, you are struck by the little things, like the old-world compass situated directly in front of the wheel. Even the mast seems old-school, but was built just a few months ago.
"I wanted everything to be just right. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. An opportunity to honor a hero," he said.