The first Sunday in June of each year, Icelanders celebrate the fishermen, sailors, and those who have lost their lives at sea during the “Festival of the Sea” celebration. Every ship is docked in a harbor over the weekend. All seamen have the day off to enjoy the fun activities planned all over Iceland.
Some sailors are awarded medals. There are special church services and visits to cemeteries to honor the sailors. There will be eating, drinking, plus fishing, swimming, sailing and rowing competitions. Some places have parades, fairs, and much more.
To the men and women associated with the fishing industry in Iceland – Til hamingju með Sjómannadaginn!
At www.IcelandAncestry.com we have a special report for those who have drowned. Fishing in the Icelandic waters was especially perilous in earlier years. Looking at the report this morning, we have identified 2,925 Icelandic people who have died because of drowning. We will continue to connect people to this report as we identify them in the database.
We have many other special reports, histories, timeline, documents, photos, and much more as part of the database. It is an interactive and very fun site. Come and join us. Find your story.
