Stockholm, Sweden
The channel leading into Stockholm was shrouded in light fog early this morning as we approached this famously beautiful Baltic Sea capitol city. This created an air of expectation and everyone was eager to begin our explorations. Shortly before seven o’clock the mist dissipated and revealed numerous small tree-crowned granite islands and skerries. The Endeavour stopped a couple of miles out from the city, and we took to our Zodiacs for a cruise through the narrow waterways adjacent to Djurgarden and Skansen. We were treated to a wonderful elevating cacophony of bird song as we progressed along the watercourse with its shimmering verdant reflections. A number of water species were spotted including gray herons, barnacle geese, mallards, mute swans and coots. When we arrived at the ship, which had gone ahead of us through the main access channel to berth, we went for a well-earned breakfast.
The rest of the morning was spent at the stunningly impressive Vasa museum which houses the conserved remains of the ship that was once the pride of the Swedish fleet. Built under the orders of king Gustavus Adolphus 2nd, it was completed in 1628. On it’s maiden voyage, with the entire population of Stockholm turned out to bid a farewell, the Vasa capsized and sank shortly after leaving its dock. Most of the 450 crew and officers managed to escape. The ship was adorned with an impressive array of carving, carried some 64 bronze canons and was built from 1,000 oak trees. For 333 years it lay where it had sank, until it was located following intensive research and searching in 1956 by Anders Franzen. The Vasa was raised by the navy and the Neptune Salvage Company and was preserved by replacing the water in the timber with polyethylene glycerol. The museum was specially built to incorporate and display the ship and place it in its historical context. Approximately fifty men lost their lives when the ship sank and some of their remains were found within the vessel or close to it. Selections of the 14,000 artifacts recovered by archaeologists are displayed, giving one an insight into everyday life on a seventeenth century ship. These include trunks, whose owners had not had the opportunity to unpack clothing, footwear or personal possessions.
The afternoon was spent exploring some of the cultural and historical highlights of this fine Swedish city which was the birthplace of Alfred Nobel.
The channel leading into Stockholm was shrouded in light fog early this morning as we approached this famously beautiful Baltic Sea capitol city. This created an air of expectation and everyone was eager to begin our explorations. Shortly before seven o’clock the mist dissipated and revealed numerous small tree-crowned granite islands and skerries. The Endeavour stopped a couple of miles out from the city, and we took to our Zodiacs for a cruise through the narrow waterways adjacent to Djurgarden and Skansen. We were treated to a wonderful elevating cacophony of bird song as we progressed along the watercourse with its shimmering verdant reflections. A number of water species were spotted including gray herons, barnacle geese, mallards, mute swans and coots. When we arrived at the ship, which had gone ahead of us through the main access channel to berth, we went for a well-earned breakfast.
The rest of the morning was spent at the stunningly impressive Vasa museum which houses the conserved remains of the ship that was once the pride of the Swedish fleet. Built under the orders of king Gustavus Adolphus 2nd, it was completed in 1628. On it’s maiden voyage, with the entire population of Stockholm turned out to bid a farewell, the Vasa capsized and sank shortly after leaving its dock. Most of the 450 crew and officers managed to escape. The ship was adorned with an impressive array of carving, carried some 64 bronze canons and was built from 1,000 oak trees. For 333 years it lay where it had sank, until it was located following intensive research and searching in 1956 by Anders Franzen. The Vasa was raised by the navy and the Neptune Salvage Company and was preserved by replacing the water in the timber with polyethylene glycerol. The museum was specially built to incorporate and display the ship and place it in its historical context. Approximately fifty men lost their lives when the ship sank and some of their remains were found within the vessel or close to it. Selections of the 14,000 artifacts recovered by archaeologists are displayed, giving one an insight into everyday life on a seventeenth century ship. These include trunks, whose owners had not had the opportunity to unpack clothing, footwear or personal possessions.
The afternoon was spent exploring some of the cultural and historical highlights of this fine Swedish city which was the birthplace of Alfred Nobel.
