Viking Decendents Gather for Atlantic crossing

Sunday afternoon the 15th of December some 60 crew from 18 boats gathered in Las Palmas marina for the first time. Ranging from 4 to 76 years old, the mixed group is starting to get to know each other - many of whom will become friends forever in the near future.

This is the third time the friendly Viking Explorers rally arranged a small cruise-in-company from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, via Mindelo, Cape Verde to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 

For the first time the rally is sponsored by the local Vincentian distillery brand ”Captain Bligh”. Many other supporting companies also are making the crossing better for the participating boats by offering discounts or products. (See FAQ of Viking Explorers for details).

There are many nationalities on the 19 different boats, and there is no need to prove Viking ancestry in spite of the name of the Rally. Swedish, Norwegian and Danish sailors are the majority, but also English, American, German, and Australian sailors create an international mix with the common goal of having a good time and doing the crossing in the safest possible way.

The youngest skipper is David Westervik, 24, from Norway, heading up a crew of four; all under 25. They also come along for free as Viking Explorers team wants to inspire more young cruisers out there. The young crew plan to be out for a couple of gap-years and will be inviting friends along the way.

The oldest skipper is Giorgio Daidola, 76, an Italian boating journalist with plans to write articles along the way. He also has the smallest boat in the fleet at 10 metres.

The boats range from 10 to 15 metres. One of them, Titti4, was built by the owner Jan Rytenberg over a period of 10 years. Most participants come with fairly new, series-produced yachts; many from the West coast of Sweden.

More info at vikingexplorers.eu / info@vikingexplorers.eu

The organizers are also authors of the Cruising Guide to the Canary Islands

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