Four 19th century style sailing ships will cross the Atlantic next year to commemorate the immigration of LDS converts from Scandinavia, Europe and the British Isles to America.
Just as a pioneer wagon train was used to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the pioneers crossing the plains, the tall ships, as they are called today, will carry hundreds of passengers in 2001 while tracing routes of Mormon migration from Scandinavia to England to New York. The event will be in anticipation of the 150th anniversary of European immigration, which began in Denmark Jan. 31, 1852. British Isles immigration began in 1840. The event is also to pay tribute to those who remained to build up the Church in Europe.
A non-profit organization, the Sea Trek Foundation, has reserved eight of the world's largest tall ships, which will set sail Aug. 7, 2001, starting in Denmark and visiting other major European ports. Four ships will cross the Atlantic, finally docking Oct. 4, 2001, in New York.
William K. Sadleir, who conceived the idea and is chairman of the event, said that while the pioneers are frequently remembered, "the reality is that a good many of those pioneers had to come from ships first and there hasn't been much emphasis on their grueling sea journey." (See Church News, July 22, 2000.)
Missionaries of the Church were first sent to the British Isles in the 1840s and to Scandinavia in 1850. As a result of their efforts, thousands of converts joined the Church, immigrating to America and settling in Utah.
The tall ships will sail to ports in Europe to gather voyagers. The journey is to begin in Esbjerg, Denmark, on Aug. 7, 2001, continuing to Copenhagen, Denmark, on Aug. 9, and then to Goteborg, Sweden, on Aug. 10-12, and to Oslo, Norway, on Aug. 14, to Hamburg, Germany, on Aug. 18-20, reaching Hull, England, on Aug. 23. There, passengers will travel on a vintage train to Liverpool for a celebration on Friday, Aug. 24. From Liverpool and Hull, ships will sail simultaneously to Portsmouth in southern England and will be the major event in a local celebration, Festival of the Sea, Aug. 25-27.
On Aug. 27, the four largest ships, each carrying about 100 passengers, will head across the Atlantic, stopping at the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, sailing then to the Bahamas and arriving in New York City on Oct. 4.
In the major ports of call, Sea Trek 2001 will host a free celebration open to the public, including maritime exhibits on Mormon migration, online ancestral research demonstrations, history forums and workshops and tall ship tours, as well as live entertainment throughout the day. In the evenings, "Saints on the Seas," a dramatic musical tribute composed for this sesquicentennial commemoration, will include philharmonic orchestras, choirs and performing artists from around the world. The celebrations will conclude each evening with a spectacular fireworks display.
"To focus more attention on the European saints, we hope to make this a truly European event," said Brother Sadleir.
"I have just finished meeting with city officials in Europe and it is amazing how much enthusiasm people are showing for this event," he said. "We see it as a really phenomenal opportunity to thank these cities for cradling the very saints who became the stalwarts and pioneers and who helped make this a worldwide religion."
He expects hundreds of thousands of local residents to attend the various events that are planned.
To place the sea journey in historical context, Sea Trek 2001 has gathered a team of more than a dozen of the finest instructors of Mormon and maritime history to provide a first-class travel study experience for participants, with course credit available through Brigham Young University and the Church Education System.
The foundation unveiled Sea Trek 2001 by launching the official Web site: www.seatrek2001.com, a site that will be used to register all voyage participants and educate interested parties. Sea Trek 2001 is open to anyone from around the world on a first come, first served basis, said Brother Sadleir. Registrants may participate in a portion of the trip or the entire voyage. Space is limited to the capacity of the ships and varies from port to port. The cost averages about $160 per day.
