Acts 27:12

Acts 27:12. The harbour was not commodious to winter in. It was in its very nature (υ ̔ πα ́ ρχοντος) not commodious for this purpose. Many things had to be taken into account the supply of provisions, for instance, as well as the soundings and the shelter. The exact knowledge of this roadstead which we now have through the surveys of British officers, shows that the case might have been reasonably argued on both sides.

The more part advised to depart thence also. The voice of the majority prevailed. This is another proof that there was a prolonged and free discussion as to the wisdom of remaining in the harbour of Fair Havens. The majority gave their opinion (ἔθεντο βουλη ̀ ν) in favour of quitting it, if possible. What follows (εἴ πως δυ ́ ναιντο) shows that they were by no means certain that it would be possible to reach the harbour they desired. Phenice (Φοι ́ νικα, from Φοι ́ νιξ). It is unfortunate that in the Authorised Version this word is spelt like the word for Φοινικη, used elsewhere for Phoenicia (Acts 11:19). It ought to be pronounced in English differently. A parallel case is that of Urbane (Romans 16:8), which is not the name of a woman. As to this ‘harbour of Crete,' named ‘Phoenix,' it might be said that we have nothing to do with it, inasmuch as St. Paul's ship never reached the place. But, in fact, the information which we now possess concerning it, furnishes very important and interesting elucidations of the truthfulness and accuracy of this narrative.

Which looked towards the south-west and north-west. This is the description which some of the sailors in consultation at Fair Havens gave of the harbour of Phoenix; and it is evident in a moment that they could not possibly have recommended, for the purpose of ‘wintering,' a harbour which was exposed or open to winds from the north-west and south-west. We must obviously seek for some other explanation of the phrase than that which suggests itself at first sight; and we find this explanation by remembering that sailors regard everything as seen from the sea. This is just the difference between a chart and a map. The recommendation of Phoenix, as a good harbour for wintering, is precisely this, that it was sheltered from the two above-mentioned winds; and this is quite in harmony with the use of the Greek preposition κατα ̀. As seen from the sea towards the land, the harbour of Phoenix did ‘look' towards the south-west and north-west.

We come now, however, to consider whether there is any harbour on the south coast of Crete west of Fair Havens, which fulfils these conditions and the other conditions of the case. It is evident that some of the sailors on board the Alexandrian corn ship were convinced of the existence of such a place, and could describe it accurately. The writer of this note was positively told, some years ago, by a ship captain experienced in the trade of the Levant, who had often sailed along this coast, that there is no harbour here fulfilling these conditions; and all information concerning it was, till recently, somewhat precarious. An anchorage in an old Dutch chart is marked here; and it became known that a place of shelter here, easily concealed by the cliffs of this rocky coast from those who merely sailed along it to the westward, was familiar to Greek pirates. At length the point was entirely settled and made clear by the publication of the charts of our British surveying officers. There is no difficulty now in identifying Phoenix with Lutro, in the narrowest part of the island of Crete. It is a place of admirable shelter, with deep water close under the rocks, and precisely protected from south-west and north-west winds, as was said in the discussion at Fair Havens.