The Call of the Sagas: To Iceland in an Open Boat

A tribute to the 1000-year viking route. In 1994 the Finnish motorboat m/y FinnFaster completed a journey from Finland to Iceland unique in maritime history.Skipper Pekka Piri and Navigator Matti Pulli wanted to honor the 1000-year Viking route and experience the spray of the Baltic, the North Sea, and the Atlantic up close, first-hand. The beguiling daughters of Ran and the Island of the Sagas enticed these experienced sea dogs to follow in the wake of Leif Ericson and Erik the Red. quot;I have to experience it; otherwise I'll be a cripple...quot; -Pekka Piri 1994 The aluminum boat was 7 meters in length and had a 175-hp, 2.6-liter V6 two-stroke outboard motor. Fuel tank capacity was 800 liters, and for the last and longest leg, an additional 400 liters had to be stowed away. Navigation was by GPS, weatherproof mini-radar, and magnetic compass. Communications equipment included marine VHF, radiotelephone, and NMT phone. Legs of the journey were crossed without stopping, the skipper driving and the navigator navigating, always. Rest and sleep took place on the seats of the boat in dock at intermediate ports. The basic provision of 40 kilos of salami lasted to the Faroe Islands. The journey began on May 17, 1994 in Helsinki and progressed via the Åland Islands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Shetland and the Faroe Islands, ending 23 days, 2,179 km, and 189 drive hours later in Höfn in south-east Iceland. Upon arrival, the President of the Republic of Iceland, Vigdis Finnbogadóttir, warmly received the crew of the Call of the Sagas. The Call of the Sagas had been fulfilled. The sea lives on as it has from the beginning of ages and as it will long after us. Perhaps someone will hear the singing of this strange pair drifting from the mists-someday.