Gaia ship
Gaia in Oslo, 2014 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Norway | |
| Name | Gaia ship |
| Namesake | Greek goddess Gaia |
| Operator | Gokstad Coastal Team (Gokstad kystlag) |
| Builder | Jacob Bjørkedal |
| Completed | 1990 |
| Home port | Sandefjord, Norway |
| Status | Active |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Viking ship replica (Museum ship) |
| Tonnage | 26 |
| Length | 23.80 metres (78.1 ft) |
| Beam | 5.10 m (16.7 ft) |
| Height | 18 metres (59 ft) (mast) |
| Draught | 0.85 metres (2.8 ft) |
| Propulsion | Sail and oars, auxiliary engine |
| Sail plan | 230 m² |
| Speed | max. 10 kn (19 km/h) |
| Complement | 40 passengers |
The Gaia ship is a replica of the 9th century Viking Gokstad ship. It was built in 1990 and departed Bergen for North America on 17 May 1991. It was named Hav-Cella prior to departing but was renamed Gaia by Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, President of Iceland, during a stopover in Iceland. Gaia is the name for the goddess of the Earth in Greek mythology. The Gaia ship reached Newfoundland on 2 August and Washington, D.C. on Leif Erikson Day, 9 October 1991. It further sailed to the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit via the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and North America.
With the completion of Museum's Wharf by Sandefjord Museum in the summer of 1995, Gaia and the newly restored Southern Actor were permanently placed on the wharf where they remain accessible to the public.
The ship can be rented for private tours in the fjord.