HULL, England — Thousands descended upon this historic port to join "The biggest celebration ever held — Sea Trek 2001!"
Excitement grew through the entire region as six tall ships came sailing up the River Humber on a calm but overcast Tuesday evening Aug. 22, welcomed by a mini-armada of yachts, motor craft and thousands of people. One by one the official yellow tug boats escorted each tall ship through the locks into Albert Docks where they were moored for the day.
As passengers came off the waiting crowds became "day sailors" who went aboard to tour the ships.
A century and a half ago, Hull received emigrants that were oft times fleeing persecution from their native homelands. Now, the descendants of these early saints were receiving a welcome that their ancestors would never have dreamed of. Dean May, one of the lecturers and a history professor at the University of Utah, said that as their ship came toward Hull they could not believe the throngs of people lining the shores of the river, welcoming them. "As the ship sailed in," he said, "the voice of a small child came drifting toward us, 'Welcome to England,' the child called."
The city officials of Hull estimate 20,000 people lined the banks of the Humber River for the 30 miles from the sea to the Albert Docks. More than 40,000 attended the day's festivities.
Enthusiastic crowds, young and old, spent Wednesday, Aug. 22, enjoying a variety of Sea Trek and city-sponsored events amidst thousands of flowers in the city's beautiful Queens Gardens near Albert Docks. Hull, which is about 800 years old, still offers narrow, cobbled lanes and quays, 18th and 19th century architecture, and the grand old Holy Trinity Church, which was founded 700 years ago.
Hull played an important role in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first chapel opened at Paragon Street in 1848. But it was Hull's role as the port through which passed thousands of converts, that was particularly significant in the history of the Church.
During the 19th century, more 20,000 saints, and millions of other emigrants, arrived at Hull's Albert Docks continuing on a journey from Northern Europe via train to a seaport on the western side of England, usually Liverpool. At the Hull train station, train tracks dating back to the 1800s are still in place, though out of use, and buildings that once housed emigrants are still standing.
As a lasting memory to those who remained to build and strengthen the kingdom outside the United States, and to generations and in commemoration of those hardy souls of all faiths who sailed the seas and blazed the trails to a New World, an eight-foot sculpture was given to and accepted by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Hull, Councillor Nellie Stephenson. The memorial is prominently placed at Bulls Head in Humber Dock Basin. It looks out toward the ocean where many came from, yet is positioned to look forward to an Atlantic Ocean yet to cross before finally reaching America — their promised land.
Regional, national and international news coverage picked up on and expanded the day's momentum. BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) completed months of pre-event research and preparation to finalize a nationwide prime-time broadcast about Sea Trek and the story of the Mormon emigrants, which aired Aug. 23.
BBC also supported the Tuesday arrival and Wednesday's events with live radio coverage all day, plus regional television news updates regularly.
Long lines of viewers continued from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Adding to the authenticity of the experience, often an unsuspecting person would be snatched away by a "press gang," duplicating a past method to get reluctant sailors to work on the seas.
A popular galley of speakers educated those attending the Educational Forums. Susan Easton Black, Paul Smith, John Peterson, Alex Baugh and Nick Evan — having just completed a voyage on the tall ships, had more than scholastic knowledge to impart. They had been sailing as their forefathers had done and could relate to duties on the ship, sea sickness, and rough seas, as well as pleasant memories as they sailed on the ships from Scandinavia. Other instructors included Ken and Carol Adelman, Steve Solarz, and Warrick Kear.
The Family History experience, with 16 computers that never stopped running, was a key Church showcase during the day.
Garth Watkins, genealogist for the city of Hull, was delighted that Sea Trek had brought 10 of the county's local family history organizations together. They had worked independently in the past, but he said that this event has brought them together in a spirit of cooperation that had not existed before, with lasting implications for family history work in Yorkshire County.
Daytime visitors would never feel the joy of those passengers disembarking from their sailing from Hamburg, Germany to Hull. One such passenger, Wayne Winert from Rochester, N. Y., and a convert to the Church expressed, "I just wish I could have had my whole family with me on this voyage. As I worked alongside other passengers and we shared our experiences, we found that our lives were interconnected — we had mutual friends from the past — and would now have new friends for the future."
Finally as dusk set in, the tall ships had been tugged away from their Albert Dock resting place back into the Humber River where they anchored several hours to view "the most spectacular and largest display of fireworks Hull had ever experienced," quoting John Pywell and Sue Lee co-workers for the Hull Tourism Office. The fireworks were synchronized to music played by Kurt Bestor for the live audience and broadcast over the local BBC radio station.
Elder Harold G. Hillam of the Seventy, newly appointed president of the Europe West Area, and his wife, Carol, were in Hull with other members of their family who came over from America, enjoying the day in anticipation of sailing this evening on one of the six tall ships to Portsmouth. He was, as usual, dressed in General Authority attire (white shirt and tie), with his tall ship cuff links as a symbol of his determination to retrace the voyage of his ancestors.
"Will you wear a shirt and tie on the ship?" he was asked. He gave an affirmative reply, adding, "That way I won't be asked to go up the mast to unfurl the sails. With our band of capable children, I'll just point the way, lend moral support and take photos."
New passengers boarded the ships for the sea trek to Portsmouth.
