Acts 27:7-8

Acts 27:7 – (NIV)  “We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.”

Note 18: Myra to Cnidus

Remember they have just left from the port of Myra and are sailing west.  From Myra to Cnidus is about 130 miles.  Luke says “We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus.” This makes total sense, because they were heading west directly into a west wind.  There are some westerly currents in this area that might have helped them make some headway.

“When the wind did not allow us to hold our course”, This was probably close to Cnidus as they moved farther away from the coast.

Note 19: Cnidus to Crete

Luke continues, “we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone” If you look at a map this means they took a very dramatic sharp left turn. They headed South, finally rounding the Eastern coast of Crete (point Salmone). This is probably the lee side of Crete.  Once around the point they would turn and head west again, this time along the southern coast of Crete.

Acts 27:8 – (NIV)  “We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.”

Note 20: Fairhaven

They have a hard time once they rounded the eastern shore of Crete in moving along the southern shore, finally arriving at a place called Fairhaven.  Luke calls Fairhaven “a place, near the town of Lasea.”  In this text, Fairhaven is not referred to as a port or harbor and the description doesn’t sound like it was a port.  In fact, the nearby town of Lasea is mentioned. These descriptions lead me to believe that Fairhaven was probably just an anchorage. An anchorage is a place (an inlet or cove) that offered some protection from, wind, storms or heavy seas.

If you have Google Earth  look up Crete, then look up Lasea.  When I do the map pulls up a location on the Southern coast named, Lasaia.  Close by there are several places that appear they might offer a ship some protection.