Storm at Sea

Storm at Sea

In 1986 the complete hull of a cedar-wood fishing boat from about the first century ad was discovered buried in the mud by the shore of the Lake of Galilee. It is probably typical of the boats in use in Jesus’ time. It is just over 8 metres long by 2.35 metres wide and is quite shallow (1.25 metres in depth); there is a slightly raised area at one end. A dozen or so men would fit into it with not much room to spare. To see that boat, in the kibbutz at Ginosar, is to gain a vivid insight into the several stories which Mark tells which are set on or beside the lake. Such a boat would not be a comfortable place to be in a storm…