Not even Vikings are a match for Big Government.
When a Viking ship, meticulously recreated in Norway, crossed the Atlantic last month, the feat captivated history buffs in the United States. They could hardly wait to get a look at the vessel, which was scheduled to visit a series of ship festivals along the Great Lakes this summer.
But as the ship, called the Draken Harald Harfagre, glided into American waters this month, it collided with an unexpected foe: modern-day safety regulations.
Is it really unexpected? Can you imagine Columbus showing up today and getting hit with OSHA violations?
After making stops at Canadian ports, the Draken’s crew was told by Coast Guard officials last week that if it wanted to sail through the Great Lakes, it had to hire a certified pilot, paid at an hourly rate that would amount to about $400,000 by the trip’s end. If unable to pay, the vessel would be forced to turn back.
You can probably guess the end of the story. No Viking ship. Just like there isn't a whole lot of other things because the government has to control every element of life.
By Wednesday, the Draken crew said enough money had been raised to sail as far as Chicago, the ship’s third American destination on the Great Lakes. But stops scheduled for August in Green Bay, Wisc., and Duluth, Minn., remained in doubt.
“The struggle is not yet over,” a statement from the ship said.
The actual Vikings would have agreed.