Discoveries thumb|Map of the northern region (including some fantasy islands) by Abraham Ortelius, . thumb|Summer in the Greenland coast circa the year 1000 by Carl Rasmussen (1874). It has been a common mistake for popular history to occasionally credit Erik as being the first European to discover Greenland, however, the Icelandic sagas suggest that earlier Norsemen discovered and attempted to settle it before him. Tradition credits Gunnbjörn Ulfsson (also known as Gunnbjörn Ulf-Krakuson) with the first sighting of the land-mass. Nearly a century before Erik, strong winds had driven Gunnbjörn towards a set of islands between Iceland and Greenland, later named Gunnbjörn's skerries in his honor. However, the accidental nature of Gunnbjörn's discovery has led to his neglect in the history of Greenland. After Gunnbjörn, roughly eighty years later the outlaw Snæbjörn galti had also visited Greenland and attempted to settle there. According to a saga that has now been lost to time, Galti headed the first Norse attempt to colonize Greenland, of which ended in failure for Galti and his party due to the many unforgiving hardships that they faced during the winter on the island. As a result of Galti's failed expedition, Erik the Red is widely credited to be the first known, and successful, permanent settler of Greenland.
discoveries thumb|map of the northern region (including some fantasy islands) by abraham ortelius  thumb|summer in the greenland coast circa the year 1000 by carl rasmussen (1874) it has been a common mistake for popular history to occasionally credit erik as being the first european to discover greenland however the icelandic sagas suggest that earlier norsemen discovered and attempted to settle it before him tradition credits gunnbjörn ulfsson (also known as gunnbjörn ulf-krakuson) with the first sighting of the land-mass nearly a century before erik strong winds had driven gunnbjörn towards a set of islands between iceland and greenland later named gunnbjörn's skerries in his honor however the accidental nature of gunnbjörn's discovery has led to his neglect in the history of greenland after gunnbjörn roughly eighty years later the outlaw snæbjörn galti had also visited greenland and attempted to settle there according to a saga that has now been lost to time galti headed the first norse attempt to colonize greenland of which ended in failure for galti and his party due to the many unforgiving hardships that they faced during the winter on the island as a result of galti's failed expedition erik the red is widely credited to be the first known and successful permanent settler of greenland