A Viking long ship from Norway with a red sail enters the bay at what is now Wick, Scotland circa 811 CE. The sun is low creating a dramatic scene as bright highlights on the sea and clouds contrast with the dark, rocky coast. Customize by adding your own text. Wick’s was founded by the Norse who first used the mouth of the Wick River as a natural harbor. The town's name itself is derived from the Old Norse word vík, a "bay" or "creek" where ships could anchor. The Vikings controlled Katanes (Headland of the Cats), now the county of Caithness, from the 800s until 1266.