ASGARD II

Unfortunately, the decision has now been taken by the Irish Government not to raise the Asgard II marking the end of an era for the vessel.

Asgard II to be raised?

According to recent reports in the Irish press, a plan to raise Asgard II will be presented to the Irish cabinet before Christmas. The defence minister, hopes to commission a salvage company to raise the government’s training vessel so that it can be restored. If a deal is agreed, the company could raise the vessel from the seabed as early as next spring.
A survey of the sunken ship by a Remotely Operated Vehicle in September showed that Asgard II is largely intact and could be saved, although it lies under 80 metres of water 31 km off the French coast in the Bay of Biscay.

ASGARD II Sinks

Ireland's majestic sail-training ship, the Asgard II, sank mysteriously off the French coast Thursday, but its 25 passengers and crew escaped safely on lifeboats. At the time of its sinking, the Asgard II was nearing the end of a weeklong voyage from Falmouth, southwest England, to the French port of La Rochelle. Its "trainees" were aged from 16 to their mid-60s and included 18 Irish people, a Briton and an Italian. A former captain of the Asgard II, Frank Traynor, said the ship was built to survive hurricane-strength winds. He suspected that a faulty "sea cock" — one of dozens of valves designed to permit sea water to enter the ship to cool engines or flush toilets — was to blame.

SEA STALLION

The original Sea Stallion, called Skuldelev 2, was built by Vikings in 1042 near Dublin, Ireland. “Sea Stallion from Glendalough” is a reconstruction of this ship, excavated as a wreck from the bottom of the Roskilde Fjord in 1962. Painstakingly built by the Roskilde Museum in Denmark from original lines reconstructed from actual intentionally scuttled ships in Roskilde harbor, the 98 foot replica ship is the largest of five reconstructed by the Museum. The ship is currently completing the second leg of a journey begun last summer from Roskilde, Denmark to Dublin, Ireland. For the rest of the story CLICK HERE.

The Voyage of the PICTON CASTLE

Barque PICTON CASTLE Cobh, Ireland

Voyage of the Atlantic World 2008

Captain's Log for the rest of the story