Mother Maddalena recorded in her Memoirs about the voyage to America in 1977: We left Gibraltar, September 27th, and entered upon the Atlantic Ocean. We noticed the change very soon. The color of the water lost its sky-blue appearance and assumed a dark green tint. Our steamer now seemed to go in leaps and bounds, as it rose and fell on the billows of the waves. But in other respects, too, there is a vast difference between the narrow, cramped Mediterranean and the broad open Atlantic. If the former already impressed us deeply with the thought of God's immensity, the latter did so still more. Here everything is on a grander and more majestic scale. Yes, indeed, how little and how insignificant did we not appear in the face of this immensity! And in the deep silent recesses of our awe-stricken hearts, we humbly adored the great Creator, invisible to mortal eye, yet visible and tangible in His works; and we thanked and blessed Him most sincerely for His goodness and mercy towards all His creatures.