All life began in the sea. And all life continues to be drawn to her waters. For millennia, humankind has voyaged upon her surfaces and plumbed her depths to discover the beauties and truths of life’s ancestral home.
This monument is in remembrance of those seafarers who were lost at sea – who, at the end of their lives, returned to the waters where all life began.

We pay tribute to the sailors, soldiers, enlisted personnel, and officers who lost their lives in the service of their countries.

We honor our fishermen, our merchant marine, and seamen who gave their lives in dedication to their profession.

We remember the thousands of immigrants who each year are lost in dangerous crossings of the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas. Courageously they sailed, rowed, or floated in the hope of a better future.

We memorialize the millions of Africans long ago who were sold into bondage and perished in the Middle Passage.

This monument is a dedication to all souls that were lost at sea. Our monument honors all equally, from the brave Captain John Paul Jones, killed in action, to the unknown refugee.

In the face of the awesome might of the ocean, we are all made equally small. Each year, we may sail with mightier ships, but we come no closer to taming the waves.

Thus, every voyage on open water is a risk. We celebrate our heroes who heeded the call of adventure and discovery to chart an undiscovered course. We cheer the return of our loved ones as their ships come into port after months at sea.

We mourn the travelers we lost, whose bodies have found rest underneath the waves.

And we wait, patiently and hopefully, for the return of those whose ship has not returned to shore.