7
We were sailing slowly for a number of days. Our difficulties began along the coast of the city of Cnidus because the wind would not let us go further. So at Cape Salmone, we started to sail for the south side of the island of Crete.
8
We had difficulty sailing along the shore of Crete. We finally came to a port called Fair Harbors. The port was near the city of Lasea.
9
We had lost so much time that the day of fasting had already past. Sailing was now dangerous, so Paul advised them,
10
"Men, we're going to face a disaster and heavy losses on this voyage. This disaster will cause damage to the cargo and the ship, and it will affect our lives."
11
However, the officer was persuaded by what the pilot and the owner of the ship said and not by what Paul said.
12
Since the harbor was not a good place to spend the winter, most of the men decided to sail from there. They hoped to reach the city of Phoenix somehow and spend the winter there. (Phoenix is a harbor that faces the southwest and northwest winds and is located on the island of Crete.)
13
When a gentle breeze began to blow from the south, the men thought their plan would work. They raised the anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete.
14
Soon a powerful wind (called a northeaster) blew from the island.
15
The wind carried the ship away, and we couldn't sail against the wind. We couldn't do anything, so we were carried along by the wind.
16
As we drifted to the sheltered side of a small island called Cauda, we barely got control of the ship's lifeboat.
17
The men pulled it up on deck. Then they passed ropes under the ship to reinforce it. Fearing that they would hit the large sandbank off the shores of Libya, they lowered the sail and were carried along by the wind.