Fair Havens and Lasea

Oct 31

When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone. Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. Acts 27:7-8

What an amazing day!! We landed in the morning at Chania, Crete where we rented a car and made our way east and south toward Kaloi Limenes - which is Fair Havens ( actually means that in Greek) from the book of Acts. On the way we stopped at 2 ancient Minoan sites with ruins dating to 1900 BC to 1250 BC. Agia Triada and Phastos. Agia Triada is a smaller site and less developed which made it so exciting to explore. One is able to climb over everything and explore. This site was the home of more common people whereas the next site of Phastos is a Minoan palace.

From there we finished driving to the south coast to Fair Havens. Not sure there is any way to adequately describe the truly terrible rutted out track that we ended up on for well over an hour! Steep drop offs and wash outs made you choose between too close to a cliff or falling into a ravine… and that’s on top off sharp rocks and skirting impassible boulders. Really, it was quite an adventure. But we made it to Fair Haven and were able to explore the harbor and the little church and cave dedicated to Paul’s visit.

A couple of miles east along the coast from Fair Haven is the site of the ancient port city of Lasea. This was a thrill! We had read that there are remains on the coast, and there was a sign for Porta Lasea. Indeed there are extensive ruins there!! All of it in various phases of falling into the sea. The ancient breakwater between the shore and the little island of Trophis is still fully visible. We could hardly bring ourselves to leave, it was so fun!

From there we went to Matala Bay where we spent the night after a truly wonderful, and some parts terrifying, day. God is good and we are grateful for safety and for amazing new experiences in Biblical places! God Bless, PB & Margery, Scott & Shelly