The original Kalmar Nyckel was one of America's pioneering colonial
ships, sailing from Sweden to the New World in 1638 and setting up
a colony of 24 settlers called New Sweden in present day Wilmington.
She made a total of four roundtrip crossings of the Atlantic—more
than any other ship of the era.

The present day Kalmar Nyckel was built by a group of volunteers
and was launched in 1998 to be a witness to the courage and spirit
of those individuals who undertook the mid-winter North Atlantic
crossing - not a good time of year for crusing.

Since 1998, the ship has served as an outreach platform for the
State of Delaware and a catalyst for social and economic development.

==> Click on one of the small pictures below to view it in a larger size.