Mark Gatt’s article (‘St Paul’s voyage and shipwreck: the ship and its wise captain’, The Sunday Times of Malta, February 5) had some very good points and the author must have carried out extensive research. However, I believe he made the same mistakes made by many others.

A lot of fuss has been made about a Roman anchor. There is absolutely no connection between a Roman anchor and the ship on which St Paul was shipwrecked.

In the Acts of the Apostles there are clear descriptions of the vessels. In 27: 2, it is stated that: “We went on board a ship of Adrumythium….” This is the first indication that no Roman ship had been involved.

Later on in 27: 6, it is stated: “There (in Myra) the centurion found a ship of Alexandria bound for Italy.”

Thus the ship involved in the shipwreck was of Egyptian origin and definitely not Roman. It was therefore not carrying any Roman anchor as the Egyptian ships had a different sailing gear.

The other point regards the location of the shipwreck. He indicates Salini Bay, but the only area that fits the description given by St Luke are the four small rocks or reefs in the Tal-Għazzenin. The late Fr Guido Schembri, a biblical scholar of international repute, insisted that the small bay was the right and correct location. That is the reason for the centuries-old chapel that commemorates the shipwreck. Few are aware that originally that chapel had been built on the site currently occupied by the watch tower. It was Grandmaster Wignacourt who transferred it to its present location as he needed the best vantage point for the watch tower.

As can be seen in this recent photo, even in a mild gregale, the outer rock is not visible, not even during the day. One can imagine what it’s like at night. Further in, there used to be a small sandy bay which was covered with debris sometime after the last war.

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