Ford_6L_E350
Senior Member
Made it up to Lanse aux Meadows. The only proven Norse site in North America. The remains/ruins aren't much to see, so they have reproduced what they believe the buildings looked like - from other known Viking sites.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16422[/photo:2r88ak1b]
[photo:2r88ak1b]16423[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Why the Vikings came, and maybe what they did. Current thought says this was a waystation. They stopped here for supplies/repairs/drop off cargo and went further south to gather goods for sale/trade in Iceland. It appears they lived here for less than 10 years.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16424[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Not much to see, just some depressions in the ground.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16418[/photo:2r88ak1b]
One of the replica buildings. 3' thick sod walls and timber roofs.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16417[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Inside one of the sod houses
[photo:2r88ak1b]16416[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Clayton Coburn, our tour guide. His picture is on the brochure for the site. He was born here and grew up playing on the 'Indian Mounds'. Was around when the archeologists were digging here in the 60's. Interesting guy with wonderful stories.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16419[/photo:2r88ak1b]
An iceberg in the bay, visible from the site.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16420[/photo:2r88ak1b]
While walking around the grounds, we saw these ducks in the bay. 12 adults and 20 ducklings. Several of the ducklings are underwater when this photo was snapped. Notice how clear and brilliant the water is.
After leaving the site we went down a backroad and found:
[photo:2r88ak1b]16425[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Since we had no idea, we had to check it out.
Turns out the river normally flows quite a bit underground, and salmon can be found in these underground pools. During springtime or heavy rains, the underground portions are filled to capacity and excess water must flow on the surface.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16430[/photo:2r88ak1b]
The overflow river.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16431[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Hiking out to the underground pools we find the forest floor heavy with large rocks, and everything covered with moss.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16433[/photo:2r88ak1b]
The river goes underground
[photo:2r88ak1b]16432[/photo:2r88ak1b]
The river surfaces
We got some good sun today. After an overnight low of 38, it got up to 67 for a brief period. Now it is 53 and rainy as I sit in my van and talk to the world though the wonder of the internet.
Tomorrow we are off to see Arches Provincial Park.
Mike
[photo:2r88ak1b]16422[/photo:2r88ak1b]
[photo:2r88ak1b]16423[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Why the Vikings came, and maybe what they did. Current thought says this was a waystation. They stopped here for supplies/repairs/drop off cargo and went further south to gather goods for sale/trade in Iceland. It appears they lived here for less than 10 years.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16424[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Not much to see, just some depressions in the ground.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16418[/photo:2r88ak1b]
One of the replica buildings. 3' thick sod walls and timber roofs.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16417[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Inside one of the sod houses
[photo:2r88ak1b]16416[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Clayton Coburn, our tour guide. His picture is on the brochure for the site. He was born here and grew up playing on the 'Indian Mounds'. Was around when the archeologists were digging here in the 60's. Interesting guy with wonderful stories.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16419[/photo:2r88ak1b]
An iceberg in the bay, visible from the site.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16420[/photo:2r88ak1b]
While walking around the grounds, we saw these ducks in the bay. 12 adults and 20 ducklings. Several of the ducklings are underwater when this photo was snapped. Notice how clear and brilliant the water is.
After leaving the site we went down a backroad and found:
[photo:2r88ak1b]16425[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Since we had no idea, we had to check it out.
Turns out the river normally flows quite a bit underground, and salmon can be found in these underground pools. During springtime or heavy rains, the underground portions are filled to capacity and excess water must flow on the surface.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16430[/photo:2r88ak1b]
The overflow river.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16431[/photo:2r88ak1b]
Hiking out to the underground pools we find the forest floor heavy with large rocks, and everything covered with moss.
[photo:2r88ak1b]16433[/photo:2r88ak1b]
The river goes underground
[photo:2r88ak1b]16432[/photo:2r88ak1b]
The river surfaces
We got some good sun today. After an overnight low of 38, it got up to 67 for a brief period. Now it is 53 and rainy as I sit in my van and talk to the world though the wonder of the internet.
Tomorrow we are off to see Arches Provincial Park.
Mike