Action along the coast of Vinland

The settlement expedition of Thorfinn Karlseffni and Gudrid

 Text of Their Saga

So seldom noted in Vinland studies is the binding landfall of Keelness,  In truth, it is finely detailed in both Thorvald's and Karlseffni's Sagas coupled with the tales of events by both - Thorvald breaking, repairing, and setting upright of the old keel; and Karlseffni gong so far as to send in a small boat to examine his later discovery of what must have been the same place.  The nautically oriented might ask just why Thorvald set the keel up there in the first place.  The most plausible reason might have been to use is as a marker for later ships to use for navigation.  We cannot claim the exact place for it, but it must have been in such a place where the southbound ships might see it - as a place where the normal or expected courses might be changed to different ones for faster or easier passages.  Thorvald, intent on exploring, must surely have been cruising near shore and was successful in passing the currents of Marthas Vinyard Straits.  Therefore as a marker, the upright keel might influence a ship captain to travel Westward along the coast rather than go outside the islands as before.

This, apparently is what Karlseffni and his accompanying ships attempted only to locate and possibly be balked by the strong currents in the straits.  It seems apparent to me that perhaps they were not wholly sure of where they were, perhaps they were late and decided to stop over, maybe Karlseffni desired to test the land there for settlement for himself.  A landing to their North is as likely as one on the mainland and if they had not the "birdseye" aspect that we have (always a problem visible in many ancient maps) they would not be aware that Marthas Vinyard was an island.

But Haki and Hekja would discover this in their three day sojourn to the south specified in the Sagas.

The Cape Cod region is noted for frequent groundings of whales, which seems to have occurred on Straumney.  Marthas Vinyard is famed for ideal conditions for both grapes and many types of grain so remarked as present on Straumney.  It even has cliffs (sand) ideal for retreat of the unfortunate Thorhall the Hunter and his remark on the proximity of "Furdirstrandir" ("--far along beaches") fits perfectly, for the entire region and the island itself consists of light color sand.

As the Sagas tell us, the first Winter here by the settlers was both unpleasant and unfortunate and eventually some or all traveled further to the place they called "Hop"

It is hoped that this mapping exercise will add insight to the probability that Hop and Leifsbudir are one and the same place.  This in addition to the many factors expressed in the Sagas that this must have been the case.

Next: Freydis' reappearance on the coast.      Back:  Thorvald

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