THE PERILOUS VOYAGE CONTINUES

Acts 27:9-11 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things, which were spoken by Paul.

Because of tempestuous weather the ship of Alexandria found favorable mooring on the southern coast of Crete in a sheltered cove called The Fair Havens. Now when much time was spent, the weather failed to change and sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past. "The fast" referred to here was probably the Day of Atonement that was held on the tenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. There seems to be no relevance to this holy day except that it occurred during the latter days of September, according to our modern calendar. It was well known that during this season navigation of the Mediterranean Sea was known to be particularly dangerous.

Whether or not the ship's crew asked his opinion, we are not told in this narrative. However, Paul, seemingly through his centurion guard, attempted to persuade them to wait out this dangerous season while anchored in The Fair Havens. He offered his advice by telling them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. We are not told here whether Paul's advice was given him by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God or whether it was merely based on seafaring knowledge that he gained in his numerous voyages. Paul perceived that during this season of the year, not only would the lives of all persons aboard be jeopardized, but also the merchandise the ship was carrying could be lost due to the dangerous conditions of the sea.

Although the ship was carrying other cargo, it appears that the transport of Paul, and the other prisoners, was the primary reason this ship was sailing to Rome. Because of this, the centurion in charge of the prisoners seems to make the decision whether to sail on or rest at anchor in The Fair Havens. The centurion, realizing the advice of Paul, preferred to believe the owner of the ship, more than those things, which were spoken by Paul. Therefore the ship's owner commanded the ship to raise anchor and proceed on their journey toward Rome.

Although The Fair Havens offered a temporary shelter from adverse sailing conditions, verse 12 tells us that it was not commodious to winter in. Therefore it was decided to sail on to Phenice (Phoenix), a port on the island of Crete, which offered an excellent port in which to spend the winter. The conditions weren't as favorable as they should have been, but having a soft south wind they put to sea and sailed close by the coast of Crete toward this port (Vs. 13).

But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon (Vs. 14), a name given to a storm that suddenly arises due primarily to a strong, turbulent, northeast wind, but also having strong wind gusts coming from all directions, much like a hurricane, causing dangerous, swelling, waves at sea. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive (Vs. 15). Having no prevailing wind, the ship was helpless when caught up in this tempest. Therefore the ship was left to drift.

Being driven by the wind and waves, there was no attempt to control its heading. And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat, which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship (Vss. 16-17a). Scholars say that this island lies approximately 20 miles southwest of Crete. Evidently they were towing a rowboat behind the ship, and due to the violent storm, they had much difficulty taking it on board to keep it from being broken to pieces by the angry waves. Taking other measures of caution, and in order to reinforce the ship, they undergirded it with strong ropes or cables to reinforce it in order to keep the hull from breaking up. And fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, (they) strake sail, and so were driven (Vs. 17b). The "quicksands" were shallows of sand created by the shifting tides where ships would often drift upon, and become "marooned in the sand," and unable to sail. And, unless rescued, the ship's crew and merchandise would be lost. Because of these perilous threats, the ship on which Paul was a passenger, again took down their sails and let it drift and be driven only by the prevailing winds and waves.

Desperation had now taken over among the ship's passengers and crew. And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship (Vs. 18). Heavy objects and merchandise were thrown overboard in order to have a better chance of riding out the tempestuous waves. And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship (Vs. 19). With the storm raging into the third day, and even becoming more turbulent and dangerous, all persons aboard began throwing the ship's rigging and other things overboard that were not critically necessary for their survival.

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away (Vs. 20). Desperation had now given way to hopelessness. Without skies indicating favorable atmospheric signs of the raging storm ceasing, the Euroclydon continued to threaten the ship with gale-like winds and perilous waves. The tempest, instead of abating, increased with devastating strength, and, with the exception of the apostle Paul who was assured of arriving in Rome (Acts 19:21), all others riding out the storm aboard this ship felt that all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.