“So we moved along the coast with difficulty.”

We’re following Paul again, after the 3 week interlude of the cross-cultural study group. It is good to be back on the route of Paul to Rome, but as difficult for us to sail west in the Mediterranean as it was for the ship transporting grain to Rome. The story in Acts 27 indicates that Luke was keenly interested in the tactics of the captain and crew during that journey. The maritime details of Acts 27 are considered to be one of the best descriptions of first century sailing in existence, and I can appreciate them so much better, attempting to sail against the prevailing westerly winds toward the island of Crete over the past several days. Those first-century sailors of the Mediterranean who, on their square rigged grain ships, managed to sail one, and sometimes two, round trips each season between Egypt and Rome, must have been incredible sailors.

The grain ship bound for Rome, carrying the usual number of passengers including Paul, was sailing far too late in the season. Whether this was a private grain ship or part of the Roman fleet, there was real money to be made if two round trips between Egypt and Rome could be squeezed into the sailing season. It was this chance to make a small fortune that tempted the daring seamen to take the risks of losing everything, which is what happened on Paul’s journey to Rome in the September-October of 59 A.D.

SailingActs, with her rigging far superior to the square sails of the first century ships, can sail much closer to the wind, but in order to keep on schedule, we have had to use the motor far too much since leaving the island of Kos on June 3. For the past week we have been hoping across the southern Aegean westward from island to island of the Dodecanese and the Cyclades – Astipalaia, where we anchored in the tiny fishing village of Maltezana, and Thira of the Atlantis legend, the island shaped by the worlds’ largest volcanic explosion in about 1400 B.C. destroying the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, 60 miles to the south. We arrived on the northern coast of Crete 5 days after leaving Kos, and then worked our way west along the northern coast to the lovely harbor town of Khania where we intend to stay for several days, exploring the sites of Paul by car.

The voyage toward Rome is different than our sailing last year, for we know that when we finally arrive there, our time of “sailing Acts” will be finished. I think a lot about Paul on this same voyage. He too was aware that Rome might be the end of his journey, although he dreamed of going farther west, all the way to Spain.

The other day we were delighted by the largest pod of dolphins we have encountered yet in the Mediterranean. The dolphins, when they arrive and swim alongside in groups of 2 – 6, invariably cheer us up with their antics, but this was incredible. I am certain there were at least 40 dolphins, perhaps 100 acrobatic, leaping, diving, circling mammals, so close you could hear their breathing when they surfaced. The main group stayed with us for about 5 minutes. Gradually small groups left until a group of 5 which played at the bow for another 20 minutes.

I wonder if Paul saw dolphins on his way to Rome.

See photos from June 12