Acts 27:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When the ship stopped in the bay of Fair Havens, the season was already late. The fast of the Day of Atonement had already passed, on the tenth day of the month Tishri, in the second half of September. The winter months, dangerous for navigation, had arrived. Paul had gained considerable experience in sea journeys during his apostolic travels. He advised them to spend the winter in Fair Havens. But this bay was unsuitable for wintering. Therefore the centurion, trusting the helmsman and the ship's master more, agreed to the advice of others. They wished, if possible, to reach the harbor of Phoenix for the winter. It lay on the same shore of Crete, but capes jutting into the sea protected it better from the southwest and northwest winds.

A small relief was afforded by the little island of Cauda, which appeared on their course. Yet there a new danger arose, that of running aground, after which complete destruction would inevitably have followed. Therefore every effort was used somehow to avert this danger. They succeeded in doing so, and the ship was again seized by the hurricane. With wild force it rushed over the boundless sea, now in a direction entirely different from Phoenix. The whistle and roar of the hurricane violently tore at the rigging and masts. Huge, savage billows tossed the heavy wheat ship like a chip and drenched the deck with cold, foaming spray. The rending creak of the breaking beams and fastenings of the ill-fated ship was a dreadful sign of the approaching shipwreck. Soon, from the rupture of the beams, a strong leak opened. To prevent the ship's complete destruction, it became necessary somehow to bind it with ropes.

The little island called Cauda lay in the open sea southwest of Lasea and Fair Havens, from which the ship had set out. Consequently, the ship was being driven by a northeastern wind. They could scarcely secure the boat, or large skiff, which, when fastened to the ship, usually sailed behind it. In a storm it was raised and tied to the ship. Such boats were and are usually carried by every ship for various needs and for danger. The strong wind almost tore this boat away from the ship, so that they barely managed to secure it.

The storm on the sea arose so suddenly that the travelers, while at the island of Crete, could not enter the harbor they desired. The sea was stirred so quickly because a northeastern wind began to blow. Such a wind raises great waves with particular speed. These waves so engulfed the vessel that it gave itself entirely over to them. Then they ran toward the little island of Cauda. There the boat, probably suspended from the ship's side, began to break away. The ship itself also began to be so shaken that it had to be undergirded. Ahead there was a shoal. Fearing to run aground on it, they lowered the sail and gave themselves over to the waves. The waves tossed the ship in every direction and caused a rolling motion unbearable even to seasoned sailors.