donald r raab Wrote:
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> You're making progress. The alternative side
> isn't so bad. Now Allen's speculation about a
> different route to Kensington and beyond opens up
> all kinds of possibilities. And the NW passage
> mythology certainly would be more than that during
> the Norse climate warming. it is opening up
> again. Mythology and legend strike again.

Hi Donald, I don't seriously consider that the Norse made it very far beyond the Eastern shore of North America. There appear to be intriguing traces of them in the Canadian Arctic, but that's understandable since they were hunting there for hundreds of years to acquire unique and valuable objects for trade with Europe.

From what I know of the climate in the Medieval Warm Period it was likely easy for the Norse to get around in northern waters during the summers. They were apparently visiting Baffin Island as well as Labrador, Ungava Bay, and possibly stumbled into Hudson Bay at some point. The latter would be true if the 1440 Vinland Map is authentic since it appears to show a large inlet that resembles Hudson Bay. See: [en.wikipedia.org]

I suspect that the Norse abandoned the Western Settlement by 1350 and wound up in Labrador and/or Baffin Island where they were assimilated before too long - and probably not by choice. Only a few of the women and children would have been of interest to any Native American group who wanted to get rid of them.