As the tall ships Sorlandet and Mir began to approach the port of Liverpool Monday, most of the 45 Sea Trek participants on board came up to the foredeck to catch their first hazy glimpse of the port and the land from which many of their ancestors had emigrated.
Most of these passengers would disembark at Liverpool and their Sea Trek experience was drawing to a close.
It was a touching moment before a day full of ceremony and music.
Sue Perry of Salt Lake City had volunteered to take the 4 a.m. watch and was at the helm as dawn broke, keeping the ship on its course toward land. Earlier, the pilot had come aboard to guide the ship through the choppy sea channel toward the River Mersey.
Standing at the ship's rail as the Sorlandet was secured to its moorings was Vicky Snow of Salt Lake City. "My great-great-grandmother left England from Liverpool. It's amazing to be here. To see where they sailed from makes me feel more part of my family."
Participants on Sea Trek 2001, a private venture, are retracing the 19th century overseas migration of converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Many of the 1,400 participants on the voyage's several trips have purchased passage for just a few stops on the European leg of the journey, but some will travel all the way to New York, where the two-month voyage is to end Oct. 4.
Waiting dockside in Liverpool to greet the ship's company was the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Gerry Scott, and his wife the Lady Mayoress, Ann Scott, along with Sea Trek Chairman William K Sadleir, and U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore.
The lord mayor extended the hospitality of Liverpool to Smith and many civic dignitaries and church leaders in a luncheon at Liverpool's majestic town hall. Later, he unveiled a specially commissioned 10-foot bronze statue commemorating the spirit of the emigrants, designed by artist Mark DeGraffenried and sculpted by Neil Haddlock. DeGraffenried was on hand for the unveiling.
After those ceremonies, the red carpet treatment continued as the Merseyside Maritime Museum hosted a reception and dinner for church, civic and community leaders, including clergy of other faiths.
The dinner was sponsored by Smith, an LDS Church member, as a way of thanking the city of Liverpool for the support it has given to departing LDS emigrants since the first emigrant company departed on the Britannia June 5, 1840.
Throughout the day, thousands toured the Sea Trek exhibition tent to see the emigration displays. Many were also able to gain a hands-on family history experience at one of the several Internet-connected computers, assisted by local LDS volunteers.
From the VIP dinner, the guests were taken by coach on the short journey up the hill to the city's huge Anglican cathedral for the United Kingdom debut performance of "Saints on the Seas," a specially commissioned oratorio, composed by Corrie Connors, Kurt Bestor and Mark Robinette.
All three were present for the performance. Bestor conducted the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. At her first public performance of the oratorio, Connors played with the orchestra and sang the touching closing number, "Good Winds."
From its vantage point on the hill, the cathedral dominates the River Mersey and the extensive docks below. Before the performance, a statement was read on behalf of the dean and chapter of the cathedral: "The cathedral stands in the heart of the city of Liverpool, which has seen thousands of groups pass through on their way to and from the United Kingdom. Liverpool offered its hospitality to those groups and in that spirit the cathedral offers its hospitality to the Mormons and their musical performance."
Ann Scott said that she was touched by the performance. "It was a wonderful performance, so moving."
While the Oratorio was being performed in the cathedral, down at the Prince's Pier Head music was being performed for hundreds of visiting families, sitting out on the grass plaza. The Liverpool finale was a $40,000 fireworks display over the Mersey, a gift to the people of Liverpool as a thank you for the way in which the city had cradled the LDS community over the years.
Tuesday, the Sorlandet left the quiet waters of the Canning Half-tide Dock to head once more out to sea.
David M.W. Pickup is a barrister from Burnley, Lancashire, England, sailing on Sea Trek from Gothenburg, Sweden, to Portsmouth, England.