A new Viking ship was launched today. She is 30 m. long with 24 pairs of oars for propulsion. (Slaves come extra)
Built in Nordfjordeid by Bjorkedal boat builders that have built traditional boats for generations.
The launch was not traditional though:
She is not likely to cross the Atlantic though.
The awful Russian Navy are keeping whales in captivity and train them as spies, or at least that is what it looks like from this article:
Could anybody else even think of doing a thing like that??
I’l take a (preemptive) bite on the bait you’re trolling…
NO. Definitely not.
Are they tight immediately on entering the water, or do they have to take up for a day or two?
Ohh!! I had no idea.
Another arms race in the shadowy world of superpower rivalry then??
It appears so. They took it right out on the fjord for a spin with invited guests.
Here from NRK:
Probably doesn’t translate too well since it is all in Nynorsk, but the pictures should tell the story.
May be the Clinker-built boats are immediately tight and do not need to be soaked, unlike the Carvel-built ones… just an idea.
Sure…
The boat builders from Bjorkedal have built a lot of boats over the last 500 years or more, but they usually do the building in their home village on the Bjorkedal lake.
When completed the boats are either launched into the lake and rowed (or pulled on the ice) to where it is the shortest distance to the sea. From there the entire village help to port the boats across dry land, small rivers and lakes to the fjord.
This apparently the first time they have built a Viking ship of this size and away from home. It is also the first time they have launched by crane.
I found this video with English text about the Bjokedal boat building tradition, which I found quite interesting and informative:
https://vimeo.com/68557912
You guys keep on insisting that I cannot possibly know anything about America, or anything American. But when I genuinely don’t know something, then that is wrong too.(??)
Sucks being the designated culprit sometimes. 
The oarsmen must have had some solid practice. Back in the day lifeboat drill in oar powered boats often gave the appearance that each oarsman was rowing to their own rhythm. The general impression from a distance being given of a spider after a very good night out.
Wonderful image!
Here is the proud builders, incl. the soon 93 year old Saxe Bjørkedal who designed and made the drawings for the boat. He was present at the launch and was on board for the maiden voyage. He recon that this boat can cross the Atlantic:
There may be a good reason why this didn’t look like “a hung-over spider”:
PS> I didn’t know that Lillehammer had a “Coastal Association”.
This version has much better music if you can see it: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2018970111739342&id=100008791171008
Experts say a whale that has been harassing Norwegian ships was likely trained by Russia. I feel for the Norwegians. We too have been harassed by a 2-ton whale trained by Russia.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) May 1, 2019
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Finnish President Sauli Niinistö was subjected to a knee slapping, madcap presser after his meeting with our president a day ago. I hope he was treated well otherwise. It reminds of a conversation a few years back when we drydocked in Gdansk in 2017 during my final voyage. The greeting agent dined in the saloon and there asked the captain “will you help us if we are invaded?” I thought it was off the wall, but now see the agent was serious. What is the price another loyal ally must now pay.
Filmed in a fjord in Norway, but what is it???:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=wJMHsi0HBUo)
Answer to follow, if not solved.
It has been blowing hurricane force wind long the west coast of Norway overnight and in the early hours of today. It is now easing a bit here, but the storm centre is moving northward, with continuing strong gale all along the coast up to Lofoten
At Kråkenes Lighthouse it was recorded 33 m/s (66 kts) this morning:
