Fogel Grip
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Fogel Grip |
| Port of registry: |
 Sweden
|
| Launched: | early 17th century, Netherlands |
| Fate: | shipwrecked August 1639 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Sailing ship |
| Length: | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Sail plan: | Pinnace |
The Fogel Grip (Bird Griffin, Swedish: Fågel Grip) was a Swedish sailing ship originally built in the Netherlands in the early 17th century. She was used on the first Swedish expedition in 1638 together with the Kalmar Nyckel to establish the colony of New Sweden.
Little is known about the vessel. Fogel Grip was a full-rigged pinnace about 30 meters (98 ft) long. Originally built in the Netherlands in the early 17th century the ship was bought by the Swedish Swedish South Company in 1636 or 1637.
The first expedition was prepared in secrecy in fear of the Dutch West India Company which at that time dominated the area. The commander was Peter Minuit.
In November 1637, the Fogel Grip captained by Adrian Jöransen and the Kalmar Nyckel captained by Jan Hindricksen van der Water left Gothenburg harbor. The crew was part Dutch and part Swedish; the Swedes on the Fogel Grip were under the command of Måns Nilsson Kling.
The expedition was caught in bad weather in the North Sea badly damaging both ships. Separated during the storm, both vessels made it to Texel for repairs. After about one month the expedition could continue and the ships left port on December 31.
Passing the Canary Islands and Saint Christopher Island the expedition reached Delaware Bay in March 1638 sailing up the Delaware River where they made landfall at the mouth of Christina River in present-day Wilmington, Delaware.
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Wikipedia