Gunnbjörn Ulfsson

Gunnbjörn Ulfsson (Norwegian, flourished circa 10th century), name also given as Gunnbjörn Ulf-Krakuson, was the first European to sight North America.

Ulfsson was blown off course while sailing from Norway to Iceland. He and his crew sighted islands lying close off the coast of Greenland, and reported this find. Ulfsson did not land.

Greenland is physically and culturally part of North America (it is separated from Ellesmere Island only by a narrow strait, and, when inhabited, has always been inhabited (until historical times) by North American peoples), so this constitutes the first definitely established European contact with North America.

The exact date of this event is not recorded in the sagas. Various sources cite dates ranging from 876 to 932, but these must remain little more than guesses; but the early 10th century is probably more likely than earlier.

The first purposeful visit to Ulfsson's islands was by Snaebjörn Galti around 978, followed soon after by Eric the Red who also explored the main island of Greenland, and soon established a settlement. But neither Galti nor Eric were sailing blind; they knew well of the location reported by Ulfsson.