For 400 years, people prayed: "From the fury of the Northmen deliver us, O Lord." But the Northmen—the Vikings—just kept coming.

Ships were the Vikings' key to success, from Byzantium to Ireland and beyond.

The Vikings used large ships, known as longboats, in the open seas but brought small boats along too. Small boats were easier to handle along the coast and raiders needed stealthy landing craft.

A generous bequest from Karen and Kresten Sommer enabled the Museum to acquire a Gokstadfæring (small boat) replica.

She was built at the Viking Ship Museum Boatyard in Roskilde, Denmark. After testing, she was christened Freydis Joanna, shipped to Halifax, then transported and displayed across Canada.

Now she's part of our permanent collection.

Come and see Freydis Joanna. A beautifully crafted, tough little vessel, ideal for pillaging and plundering.

When you visit:

• Find: The boat's rudder
• Stump our Guide: What's a strake?
• Solve the Mystery: What does Freydis Joanna mean?
• In our Gift Shop: Freydis Joanna medallions and more

Additional Links:

• Danish Club of Montreal: Ahornbladet Newsletter (pdf)
• Freydís Eiríksdóttir
• Nova Scotia Maritime Museum: Viking Ship Replica
• Red Deer Advocate: Arrival of Viking Ship
• Telegraph Journal: Viking Ship arrives in New Denmark
• The Gokstad Viking Faering
• The Seated View blog: Freydis Joanna
• The Viking Answer Lady
• Viking Ship Museum: The Small Boat from Gokstad