Other Anchors Aboard?

In previous articles, I detailed my search for the four anchors from the shipwreck of Paul described in detail by Luke in Acts Chapter 27. But were there other anchors aboard the ship?

Luke's Account Revisited

The answer lay right in front of my nose all along. I had already established that in the teeth of the storm the sailors had dropped four anchors from the stern, or the back of the ship...in 90 feet of water. They dropped them while still some distance from the churning reef that they could hear surging in the darkness, in hopes of keeping the ship from smashing into the rocks.

But the following verse states that immediately afterward, a small band of sailors, fearing for their lives, pretended to lower "some anchors" from the bow, or the front of the ship. That was it! It hadn't occurred to me before, but there were other anchors onboard the ship in addition to the four they had already let down in the sea.

Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow.... - Acts 27:29-30

When the sailors sought to escape from the ship, they did so under the pretense of lowering "anchors from the prow" of the ship, thinking they could get away with lowering the skiff instead. Paul foiled their plan, though, so they remained on the ship and eventually everyone survived. Where were these other anchors today, and could I find them? The answer will be in next month'sarticle and in my book, The Lost Shipwreck of Paul.

The Story Continues: Other Anchors Aboard? - Bob Cornuke

The Thrilling Conclusion: All Anchors Accounted For - Bob Cornuke

Biblical Archaeology: Paul's 'Miracle at Malta' - Bob Cornuke

Miracle at Malta: The Lost Shipwreck of Paul - Bob Cornuke