Willoughby

The Godspeed

The original Godspeed was one of three that sailed in 1606 for what is now Virginia. The other two being the Susan Constance, the largest, and the Discovery, the smallest. The new Godspeed was contructed on site at Jamestown Festival Park and outfitted at Newport New Shipbuilding by present and retired employees who generously volunteered thier time and skills. Members of the origional crew of the replica Godspeed spent countless hours as volunteers to put the finishing touches on the vessel and to make her ready for the Atlantic crossing.

She was launched at Jamestown Festival Park on May 12th 1984, after being christened by Miss Lucinda D Robb, daughter of the Sponsor, Mrs Lynda J Robb. Her commissioning took place at Yorktown on November 18 1984.

The replica vessel is considered to be a full-size model of the ship which reached Jamestown on May 13th 1607 when America's first permanent English settlement was establised there. C Leslie Sweeney of Newport News conceived and directed the ship's construction, with the assistance in design, lofting and sail arrangment of Duncan W Stewart of Hampton. The Virginia shop of Seaford, owned by Carl V Pederson, constructed the Godspeed, as well as the new replica of the Discovery, while reconstructing the Susan Constant from the water line up.

In 1985 the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation re-enacted the historic voyage which carried the 104 English settlers to Jamestown. Rather than useing all three modern replicas of the origional ships, the foundation chose to use the middle size vessel only. When all was ready she was brought over on a container ship and the voyage of 1985 began on April 30th from near Blackwall, London, immediately following a ceremonial visit to the Godspeed by His Royal Highness the Duke Of Edinburgh accompanied by His Excellency the Governer of Virginia. Also present was the Rev Alan Taylor, Rector of Willoughby, and some members of the Parish. Rev. Taylor also travelled to Jamestown , Virginia, to greet the ship when it eventually arrived on October 23rd 1985. The first crew of fourteen Virginians were led by Captain George C Salley of Gloucester Point.

The Godspeed experienced much the same foul weather off the coast of England that the origional vessel met. After almost two weeks of ferrying from one side of the English Channel to the other, she was finally able to sail south towards Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the first port of call in 1607. En route, she experienced heavy storms off the coast of Spain and at one point was nearly forced to head for a Portuguese port for safety.

The vessel arrived in the Canary Islands on June 12th to a warm welcome and was greeted by hundreds of well-wishers. After several commemorative ceremonies organised by Tenerife officials, reprovisioning and repairs, she set sail again on June 17th, this time with one fewer crewmen including a substitute.

back to the Village Index

The sail to the Caribbean followed the Southern route, as in 1607, proved to be especially smooth with favorable conditions. Because the voyage was proceeding more slowly than had origionally been anticipated the planned visit to Martinique was cancelled and the Godspeed headed to Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, US Virginia Islands, arriving there on July 13th.

Delayed arrivial in the Caribbean required the Foundation to re-evaluate the ships voyage. Some members of the crew needed to return to their normal Virginia jobs and could not remain aboard. Authorities advised that the Atlantic hurricane season was imminent, posing a risk to the crew and the ship. On advice of the Captain, the Foundation postponed completion of the trip and arranged to have the Godspeed berthed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where extensive support was provided voluntarily by the Club Nautico.

Subsequently advisors to the foundation recommended that the ship be returned to Virginia before the late fall 1985, utilizing a crew of sailors who had experience in navigating sailing ships in the Alantic waters. Although avoiding hurricanes which churned the seas at distances around them, the crew found it necessary to call upon the US Coast Guard for assistance off the coast of North Carolina, where gale force winds and heavy seas forced the Godspeed dangerously close to the Dimond Shoals, known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. She was within a half-hour of being dashed onto the shoals when the coast guard rescued her and towed her to Virginian waters. Thereafter, she was towed to Jamestown Festival Park by volunteers, arriving October 23rd 1985.

The voyage indicated the hardy nature of the origional voyagers, the strong urge to chart new sea routes and discover new lands and the undaunting drive for adventure and wealth.

back to the Village Index