Modern boats can sail into the wind at about 45 to 50 degrees. By tacking back and forth, a boat can make good progress going any direction desired. Ancient vessels did not have this advantage, and, therefore, could barely make any progress into the wind. The lee side is the downwind side where the heavy winds were blocked by the island allowing them to make better time. The first lesson I want us to learn from this passage is that contrary winds do not have to affect the direction of our lives.
Storms come into everybody's lives.
But the way we respond to them is what really counts. Scott Peck began his popular little book entitled, The Road Less Traveled, by pointing out that life is hard. It's hard for everybody. We should not expect anything else. We should not be surprised when storms come into our lives.