4-Aug-16 – Green Bay, Wisconsin, will be the end of a 3,000 mile journey for the Draken Harald Hårfagre, the largest Viking ship built in modern times. The treacherous North Atlantic could not defeat it but United States Coast Guard regulations have. Unable to raise money needed to cover unexpected pilotage fees, the expedition announced on Thursday afternoon the journey will end a few stops early.

The ship is currently on its way to Green Bay for its Tall Ship Festival. It was at Navy Pier in Chicago from July 27 to August 1.

“It has been a modern Viking voyage,” the expedition says. “We are so happy and grateful we made it all the way from Norway, across the North Atlantic Ocean, through the St. Lawrence Seaway, and into the Great Lakes. The ship and her crew navigated through the rough seas, ice, extreme temperatures, and all the storms along the way. We couldn’t be more proud of this accomplishment.”

After meeting with District 3 Western Great Lakes Pilot Association, the estimated cost to have a local pilot on board to help with navigation, as required by law in the United States, was recalculated from $430,000 to $250,000.

“Even with this significant reduction in cost, we have not been able to raise enough funds to complete our entire expedition. So it is with a heavy heart that Viking Kings, the organization behind the Draken Harald Hårfagre project has come to the decision to make the Tall Ships Festival in Green Bay the last stop in this Tall Ships Challenge.”

After leaving Haugesund, Norway, on April 26, the Draken made it to stops in Iceland, Greenland, and Canada. It was in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, and Bay City, Michigan, before arriving in Chicago. It will miss planned stops in Duluth, Minnesota, New York, and Connecticut.

All of the $139,000 raised so far by Sons of Norway, the expedition’s fundraising partner, will pay for pilotage fees but the fundraising campaign has ended.

Captain Bjőrn Ahlander says the crew is happy to have made it this far.

“At one point it looked like we were not going to be able to sail the Great Lakes at all,” says Ahlander (right). “We are very sad not to sail all the way to Duluth. It is one of the stops where the Scandinavian communities [have] been the strongest and most involved with promoting and engaging in our ship from the very beginning…We have had the most amazing time sailing this expedition, meeting all the people and visiting all these places.”

Said Sons of Norway, a financial services and international cultural organization headquartered in Minneapolis, the support and money it received “put wind in the Draken’s sails for several ports.”

“Throughout Sons of Norway’s involvement as fundraiser to cover pilot fees for the Draken’s Great Lakes voyage, our mission to promote and preserve the heritage and culture of Norway has guided our actions. While during the course of the voyage issues arose outside of the scope of Sons of Norway’s involvement, such as international law and pilotage fees, we remained solely focused on helping to bring the ship to as many people as possible.”

A new route is being planned to take the Draken out of the Great Lakes after the Tall Ship Festival in Green Bay, scheduled for August 5-7.