HAMILTON, BERMUDA — Sea Trek 2001's three tall ships arrived here Thursday to a small welcome, lost between cruise ships that carry the population of a whole town and stand five stories high.
Still, the magnetic quality of the sailing ships was soon at work, and to the residents of this island nation, three tall ships are more interesting than those with 10 times as many passengers, despite the current economic slowdown. (Bermuda is experiencing an increased recession in tourism following the New York events.)
Sea Trek arrived in Bermuda Thursday, completing a three-week Atlantic crossing. The private venture left Denmark in early August, retracing the migration route of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It leaves on the final leg of its journey Saturday, bound for New York. It is scheduled to arrive Oct. 4.
As one of the tall ships, the Statsraad Lehmkuhl, sailed into Bermuda Thursday, its land-starved passengers were ready to see family and friends and to hear the latest news from back home. Only about a dozen people braved a short-lived downpour to watch the ship slowly make her way between two islands and into the dock.
For Lorna Wilkinson, Sandy, the ship couldn't get into port fast enough. She was excited to be reunited with her two sons.
"We saw the land to begin with, that wonderful land," Wilkinson said. " It had been so long since we could see the land. I was thinking, oh my goodness, can you imagine Chris Columbus just sailing, sailing and sailing and then to finally see land? I wondered what the people on land thought to see the ship."
Thursday, it was a time for Sea Trek participants to reunite with family, go swimming, eat a hot meal and get some shopping done.
Friday, an open house was planned, but without the fanfare and fireworks of Europe. William K. Sadleir, Sea Trek 2001 chairman, said that despite the financial rough spots in the trek, he felt satisfied that the commemoration was worthwhile.
Although the three ships came with few passengers on the three-week crossing, they picked up a full load for the last leg. Each of the three ships added from 15 to 20 passengers, filling them to capacity.
On the Christian Radich, for example, nearly every spot is taken. That means all the bunks are full, and nearly all the hammocks spoken for.
The "old salts" who boarded in England showed the ropes to the newcomers, who were welcomed by being assigned to one of three four-hour watches. One of the watches is in the night, the other in the daytime. The trip over was described by passengers as a good one.
Esther Hebrew, 80, of Lehi, who boarded at Portsmouth, is on her way home after serving as the mission nurse in Romania Bucharest Mission. She said the trip has been smooth but rather hot and humid.
On the high seas, mini-adventures became diverting. Sometimes the diversions come from the sea, and sometimes they are manmade.
"We had a white bird about the size of an egret, from Africa, the kind that rides on the back of a water buffalo, land on the ship. It stayed on board a couple of days and disappeared. "We've seen lots of dolphins, and lots of flying fish; two of them flew onto the ship, so we threw them back. The captain fishes off the stern nearly every day, and one day he caught a marlin. They cut it up on deck and cooked it, and the people said it was the best fish they have ever eaten," she said.
Kirsten Rose, 20, from Lehi, said the younger people also found things to do. "A lot of times we played cards all night and got sick off candy," she said. "I find it very easy to keep myself busy. We also have humanitarian things, so between that and the watches and things they have us doing, we really don't have much spare time.
"It's definitely the opportunity of a lifetime. There are a few things I would have changed, but it has definitely been worth it."
Contributing: Tawny Archibald, Deseret News correspondent