The largest ocean-going Viking long boat was sailed to North American waters this summer and was expected at various Great Lakes cities, except that the U.S. Coast Guard had determined that the Draken Harald Harfagre has to have a professional pilot to guide the craft through the St. Lawrence Seaway.
At an estimated cost of $400,000 for the trip there and back, the hearty Norwegians on board are seeking an exception or alternative funding to pay the high cost.
Draken’s Webpage showing expected appearances Here
You’re suppose to be Vikings for God’s sake. Don your horned helmets, put on your Bearskin shirts and draw your long swords to slash your way to Duluth.
Sounds like a **!!**!! Union thug thing.
“Nice shiny boat ya got there. Be a shame if somethin’ were to happen to it iffin’ we wasn’t pilotin’ it. Ya’know’what’I’mean?”
Those Viking ships have a draft so shallow, you could float them in a 1″ puddle. Yet they’re so sturdy/flexible, they crossed the ocean to settle Iceland and Greenland.
Just have the Vikings sign some release forms, “The US Coast Guard is not responsible for your safety”, and let them go.
Un-fuckin’-believeable.
That, or the Coasties are jealous that these Vikings have done something they haven’t, namely, sailed beyond sight of land.
Cruel joke:
What’s the minimum height requirement for a Coastie? Six feet.
Why? So they can walk to shore if their boat sinks.
Perhaps their lodestone is on the fritz…?
U.S. COAST GUARD ENLISTMENT OATH
“I, (State your name), swear to sign away 4 years of my life to the UNITED STATES COAST GUARD because I know being in the real military scares me. However, I swear to defend our position as the fifth branch of the Armed Services, although at one point we were under the Department of Homeland Security. I understand that atleast twice a day, someone will refer to me a member of the Air Force or Navy, and when I correct them, they will question my military status. I will work on boats the size of kayaks and small yachts during the worst of natures storms, and recieve no thanks or notice form the public. I will fly in helos into the eye of the storm to rescue people dumber then rocks, and then be heckled by the same people when I bust them for transporting drugs two months later.! I will prevent thousands of gallons of pollution, but be accused of impeding the economy when I won’t allow vessels to pour oil into the ocean. I will be the red-headed step child to all of the other services, although I know I got the better deal. All of my equipment will be discarded Navy property. I will use most of my time in the Coast Guard to take college classes, and perfect my web surfing abilities, then complain that I work too much. I will perfect avoiding PT at all costs, and do my best to attend training that will give me a great competitive edge in the career field of my choice, making retention efforts of the Coast Guard pointless. I will come in contact with so many pollutants during my tenure, I will glow in the dark for the rest of my natural life and refer to myself as “salty” because of it. I will do my best to work 8 to 3, with a two hour lunch, on normal days, and have my pager and cell phone surgically attached, SO HELP ME GOD.
My advice is for them to sail the ICWW, no piglets needed and there will be way less Yankees to pay.
Not all the Scandinavians stayed in the cold white north.
Lutefisk, salty fish jello, had it, hated it.
Dr. Tar, they don’t have horns, have you seen the way the Wogs are raping the Scandinavian women?
I don’t think they could fight a straw man now.
The bearskin has been replaced by bunny slippers, flannel onesies and a nice cup of coco.
Damn Finlanders!
This is beyond outrageous! It could not possibly cost the USCG anywhere near this amount. Why isn’t the good Senator Al Franken all over this? What’s that, he’s too busy trying to cancel the 2nd Amendment and pushing the false narrative of #BLM. The Norwegian Foreign Minister should be all over John “Kennedy wannabe” Kerry about this.
They should claim refugee status.
@Arby, it isn’t the Coast Guard who is charging the $400K
It’s the river pilot that they will pay. the CG is just requiring one.
Let me just say, with all the new GPS, auto pilot, communications, the requirement of a pilot is as useful as tits on a boar hog.
The pilot union is the strongest and most racist union in the US.
UNION, what is it you don’t understand about why Franken could not give a fig.
The CG is irritated that the Vikings were here long before Columbus. The Vikings were true sailors and discovered things, the Coasties not so much.
Govt Regulations + unions = Massive corruption.
I wonder what tractor/trailer rig would be sufficient, to haul it over land to their desired location and what that would cost?
What would Ragnar do?
Make up fake social security numbers for the crew.
Tie down some old lawnmowers and leaf blowers
on deck and tell them you are undocumented Mexican
landscapers looking for work. You’ll get right in.
Isn’t there a Sven and Ole joke to cover this situation?
Sven and Ole worked together and both were laid off, so off they went to the unemployment office. Asked his occupation, Ole said, “Panty stitcher. I sew the elastic onto cotton panties.”
The clerk looked up panty stitcher. Finding it classed as unskilled labor, she gave him $300 a week unemployment pay.
Sven was asked his occupation. “Diesel fitter,” he replied. Since diesel fitter was a skilled job, the clerk gave Sven $600 a week.
When Ole found out, he was furious. He stormed back in to the office to find out why his friend and co-worker was collecting double his pay. The clerk explained: Panty stitchers were unskilled and diesel fitters were skilled labor.
“What skill?” yelled Ole. “I sew the elastic on the panties, Sven pulls them down on his head and says, ‘Yah, diesel fitter.’”
I dunno if it covers the situation, but…