Where Lehi Landed – 30º South Latitude in South America - Part II

Between September, 1827, when Joseph received the plates from the angel Moroni, and June 1829, when the translation of the Book of Mormon was completed, Joseph was between the ages of not quite 22 and 24 ½ years old. At the time, Joseph was without a formal education, had traveled no further than about two hundred miles from his place of birth, and had little more for his reading material than the Bible.

Yet, in some way, at this age and under these circumstances, Joseph came to understand that the ancient Nephites in Arabia “traveled nearly a south, southeast direction until they came to the nineteenth degree of north latitude; then, nearly east to the sea of Arabia, then sailed in a southeast direction, and landed on the continent of South America, in Chili, thirty degrees south latitude,” and also knew and understood the topography of the land when saying that this landing site “was on the coast of the country now known as Chili—a country which possesses a genial, temperate and healthy climate.”

I would challenge any modern young man (who has not been in foreign lands on a mission or traveled extensively) to know that information about the 30º south latitude, Chile, its climate, and temperature. I have asked more than a hundred well-educated young men in my studies that very question. Most did not know where the 30º south latitude was, nor what area of land it crossed, nor that in that area of Chile was a unique temperate zone like the Mediterranean Climate of Jerusalem—the only place in the Western Hemisphere from Mexico to South America such seeds would have grown exceedingly and produced an abundant crop.

Isn’t it interesting that an uneducated young man who had no experience in travel, was not a person who had studied geography to any degree, nor had any formal training regarding the area of South America, could come up with the exact wordage used today (not then) to describe the Mediterranean Climate zone of Chile, South America, when there are only five such climate zones in the entire world outside the Mediterranean area.

How could such an uneducated individual in 1830 even know that when leaving the Arabian coast that the sea currents and winds led directly to this single area along the coast of Chile at exactly 30º south latitude (the Bay of Coquimbo—an area unknown in 1830 to anyone not having been there) where the sea and wind currents died down to allow for an easy landing. No one in 1830 knew about what is now called the Southern Ocean, and the West Wind Drift, nor the Prevailing Westerlies, that move along south of New Zealand and across the Pacific land bend north up the Chilean coast. Actually, well educated BYU professors and graduates who teach in this area, from Hugh Nibley to John L. Sorenson, do not know of this fact.
Yet, fact it is, and since the Southern Ocean was divided from the other oceans by the International Hydrographic Organization in 2000, and this area has been sailed upon extensively from late in the 20th century, mariners, geographers, and oceanographers have come to understand the unique currents and winds that blow along this circumpolar current and propel weather (sail) ships from west to east at an excellent clip of speed with few difficulties. They have obviously found it to be the fastest way across the southern Pacific Ocean, and many sailing clubs and organizations now use this area for their competitive races.

How did Joseph Smith know of this? How did he know about the 30º South Latitude and the Chilean climate there? How did he know of the winds and ocean currents? Short of being the luckiest guesser in the world, we would have to chalk this one up to inspiration—thus showing that Lehi’s route and landing site was exactly as Joseph described it.