For an Oregon Family: The Atlantic Ocean or Bust!
The Atlantic or BUST!
That’s the motto for the Van Vegmel family from Eagle Point, Oregon. They have a Viking ship called the Bloss Den Magi Drakken. They worked on it for years, and once it was sea-worthy, they hit the road, taking it around the United States to promote history, and their Scandinavian heritage. The 28 foot Viking vessel is pulled behind a motorhome to festivals, parades and shows, and of course is launched into waterways as often as possible.
Greg Van Vegmel does most of the heavy lifting. His granddaughter Paisley is the ship’s captain. Both are glad to talk to you about history! KXL’s Veronica Carter caught up with them at the Scandinavian Festival in Astoria. You can hear their story here:
The Van Vegmels won’t be traveling the country this year because gas prices are too high. They also had to take the last two summers off because of COVID, but they plan on hitting the road in the summer of 2023.